


Patrue mi Patruissime

by kotoshin



Series: Paved with Good Intentions [3]
Category: Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII, Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Katekyou Hitman Reborn!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Crack, Alternate Universe - Dying Will Flames (Katekyou Hitman Reborn!) Are Known, Angst, Angst and Feels, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Angst and Humor, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst and Porn, Angst and Tragedy, Attempted Murder, Body Horror, Bombing, Bombs, Complicated Relationships, Consensual Possession, Creepy Hojo (Compilation FFVII), Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Dying Will Flames (Katekyou Hitman Reborn!), Dying Will Flames (Katekyou Hitman Reborn) Are Magic, Dysfunctional Family, Dysfunctional Relationships, Earth Flames (Katekyou Hitman Reborn!), Everyone Has Issues, F/F, F/M, Families of Choice, Family Drama, Family Issues, Family Secrets, Fratricide, Headcanon, Human Experimentation, Implied/Referenced Terrorism, Loyalty, M/M, Multi, Non-Consensual Body Modification, Nudity, Patricide, Planet Does Not Understand, Power Play, Pre-Canon, Protective Siblings, Shinra Men headcanon shit, Sky Flames (Katekyou Hitman Reborn!), Somebody Lives/Not Everyone Dies, Team as Family, Time Loop, Time Travel Fix-It, Trust Issues, Turk Cloud Strife, Turk Vincent Valentine, Turk-centric, Unconventional Uses for Dying Will Flames, Unethical Experimentation, Weapons of Mass Destruction, time travel but not really
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-07
Updated: 2019-10-10
Packaged: 2020-10-11 10:40:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 50,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20544797
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kotoshin/pseuds/kotoshin
Summary: One Sentence Summary: "Rufus Shinra gets a Power Up."





	1. Veld, Director of Administrative Research

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A clandestine meeting of Turks.

As the Director of the understaffed Department of Administrative Research, Veld was a busy man. But he made time for his students, especially one handpicked to inherit the mess once he could no longer serve. Honestly, despite - or perhaps, because of the politically incorrect Wutai heritage, Tseng was hands down the easiest Turk trainee Veld had the privilege to teach. Conversely, Reno seemed to make up for all of Veld's remainder students combined.

The request from Tseng was unusual, as were the registration paperwork Tseng had for Veld's approval. Two reinstatements to active duty, both with the highest possible Turk clearance on their files once complete. A new trainee to study under Katana, also with the same level of Security Lock on his files upon enrollment. 

And a multi-personnel conference that was to include himself, Tseng, and Gun - not so coincidentally the three most _senior_ Turks - the Vice President, Legend, and one of the new reinstatements.

"Veld, I was requested as personal detail by the Vice President for … heritage research. At Nibelheim, we found out about the Commissioner, your old partner Valentine, and Windy Strife - formerly of the Turks."

So that was why Veld sat, waiting in the secure Turk conference room, for the others to arrive. Tseng had indicated it would be easier to do the debriefing all at once, with _all_ relevant parties present. Legend was already listening in via conference call, on mute. 

"Director Veld." Vice President Rufus Shinra was the first to arrive, greeting Veld as he takes a chair, crossing one leg over the other. Dark Nation prowled in by his side, sitting dutifully next to the Shinra Heir's chair as she stared at the Director unblinkingly. "I assume you've already received the paperwork from your new trainee - and your two reinstatements."

"Windy and myself are long time correspondents." Veld nods, his response cautious and neutral. There was no reason to reject any of the three - not when he personally knew two of them and when his handpicked protégé had recommended the trainee. Though Rufus may not be the President's creature the way Lazard was, it didn't mean Rufus wouldn't sell Veld and the Turks to the President, if the price was right. And Veld knew there was always a price, for any men. It's only that for honorable men of integrity, the price was in coin that could not be bought, only offered. 

"While I am used to seeing that correspondence via regular post, I understand why she felt the need for Turk delivery by hand, on this occasion." Veld regarded the young Shinra Heir thoughtfully. "Tseng assures me you had read and approved of her proposals. I would be happy if you could offer further insight on your decision. Because the enrollment is fairly straight forward, apart from the … lineage of the trainee." 

That puzzled Veld, for he knew Rufus had also despised Lazard for the misfortune of being born on the wrong side of the sheets, as much as their father had. What had changed?

"Windy's reinstatement to active duty and resuming her former long-term assignment is much appreciated. I merely need to arrange for a plausible insertion once she reports in. I also thank you for the recovery for my old friend and partner. I'm sure it's quite a story, and why you wished to speak with me after your excursion."

Oh, Veld didn't know how far off the mark he was. Valentine wasn't even _remotely_ the reason why Rufus wanted to speak with him. Lying by omission was still a lie, and he didn't appreciate it at all. What might his _uncles_ have been able to tell him about the Company, and how might they have influenced his life if they'd still been around? Would he, perhaps, have had a childhood with less abuse and more positive role models?

"Oh, yes, there are quite a few long stories that I could regal you with," Rufus stares down at the Director with a cool gaze, chin up and perfectly tilted to affect an air of authority. "But I'm rather more interested in talking about _family_.

"For example, why you never bothered to tell me about my dear Uncles." He turns his face away, all aloof disinterest, before focusing back on Veld in sharp assessment. "_That, _ I'm sure, is _quite a story_. Why don't you start at the beginning?"

Veld sighs. Rufus would pick the difficult one he had been trying to avoid, out of both long habit and sense of self preservation. Before he could reply, the buzzer to the meeting room rang.

"Come on in." So Tseng had chosen to stand with the younger Shinra Heir, ignoring Veld's orders. He'd hedged his bets because he thought the President's choice was equally likely - Rufus was the legitimate Heir, but far too like the brother Riccardo Shinra had only tolerated because he had no other options. And the President despised bastardy in general, because Allodo Shinra was _technically_ illegitimate; his mother had died in childbirth, before an official could arrive to authenticate informal engagement to formal marriage license. So even though Lazard was the one who took after Riccardo Shinra the most in temperament - albeit with considerably more empathy - his advantage over Rufus had not been certain.

Tseng enters, carrying a file storage box and followed by Vincent Valentine and Gun, who closes the door. Vincent already knew. Gun's presence was needed to ensure continuity, as she was in line after Tseng to become Director.

"As you all know, gentlemen - and lady." Veld slips into his lecture voice. He'd done this before, but it would be the first time in a decade to have made this speech. "The Turks were founded in 1964 by a man named Allodo. What has been purged from the Orientation text for the last ten years - is that our founder was named Allodo Shinra, elder brother to President Riccardo Shinra, and that the Turks' original purpose was never meant to be Shinra's Secret Police."

He sees Vincent's shock at the news of his perfidy, but he gestures silence to his old partner. This was news to only _one_ Turk in the room, and she needed to know if she was the only senior Turk to remain, as Veld had been. Due to her gender and longtime assignment as the President's handler, Emma - Turk code name "Gun" was the senior Turk officer most likely to survive Presidential censure.

"The Turks are not Shinra's personal Bogeyman nor dogs to command, though we have forgotten this fact. It is through no one's fault but mine that the Commander's original tenets were excised from the textbooks. We were founded, originally, to enforce Justice and Order to a world without a single unified government, vowing to stand apart from _any_ political affliation."

Veld looks around the room. Excellent, no looks of surprise, not even from Gun after her initial start. He did not raise stupid Turks.

"I did what I felt necessary to ensure the continued existence of the Turks as a whole. I am not proud of what I had to do, retiring the Commissioner's Old Guard whenever possible, clean exit interviews when not. You know our tenuous position in current Shinra Company politics. Today, to our ranks return two who remember the days when being a Turk was a badge of respect, and not fear."

Good, the story from Veld is the same as what Rufus has heard from his other sources. This restores some of Rufus' faith in the man. 

"Is this a call to arms, to remember our purpose in the name of Commissioner Allodo, sir?" Veld turns back to Rufus.

"No." He says in response to the question. "It's a call to arms in _my_ name, Veld - though my aims are not dissimilar to my late Uncle's. I do believe he would have approved, based on everything I've learnt about the man."

What was the point in raising an army in the name of a dead man? No, Rufus _wants_ the Turks for himself, to be the name that the Turks _serve_. 

"This Company has become the very thing that the Turks would have fought against at first founding. I seek to reverse that course, to steer Shinra to a sustainable future - and I would very much prefer to do it with the Turks at my side.

"So I offer you a proposal, Veld: you and the Turks will back me wholeheartedly, and I will ensure the safe extraction and medical treatment of your daughter Felicia."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick Reminder: VONGOLA SECONDO does not actually appear in this 'Verse - I merely appropriated his common fanon name because I needed the Italian variant of "Richard" so I can have people who hate President Shinra call him "Dicky" and "Dickhead". 
> 
> For those of you coming from the KHR side of the fandom:
> 
> 1\. Allodo = Alaude/Alaudi. The spelling change is deliberate in keeping with the Italian theme naming of the Shinra family. (Alaude/Alaudi are actually _French_ variations) The Turks are the CEDEF in this 'Verse. Is half-sibling to Giotto and Riccardo. Grandpa Rufus only married in order to provide five year old Allodo with a Mother, which Spectacularly Did Not Work Out.
> 
> 2\. Giotto - being the baby of the family and **little brother** to Alaude this 'Verse means he didn't feel the need to start a vigilante group. In the interest of keeping the peace in the family and because he doesn't _want_ Shinra Electric Power Company, owns only non-voting shares of Shinra stock, though he can live off the dividends doing nothing. Hyper Intuition still exists and he's banned from _legal_ casinos, which resulted in Giotto seeking thrills as a street brawler and frequenting more questionable establishments. 
> 
> For those of you coming from the VII side of the fandom:
> 
> 1\. Alaude/Alaudi was recruited by Giotto as his Cloud Guardian, but continued to operate independently as the founder of the CEDEF, a secret intelligence organization _independent_ of the Vongola Familia as a sort of watchdog. His intention with the Turks in this verse was to create an Intercontinental Police force on a world where the largest forms of government were City-States, but Things didn't Work Out.
> 
> 2\. Giotto was the founder of a vigilante group that later became the Mafioso Vongola Familia. In his quest to try and protect the weak, he met his best friends and had a lot of adventures, even though he retired the mantle early to Secondo and immigrated to Japan, took on a Japanese name after marriage and had kids and presumably died in his bed. His descendant Sawada Tsunayoshi later took back control of the Familia as the 10th Gen Decimo. That's the story of Katekyo Hitman Reborn where sexy mafioso saves the world, and Time Travel and Crazy Flame Crack and Pillars of the World Shit Happened. Giotto does end up doing something similar in this 'Verse with Equally Unfortuneate Consequences.
> 
> I can hear Reno now: "I signed up to be the fucking _police_?!"


	2. G, The Legendary Turk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Apparently G can call Rufus "Kid" and "Kiddo" without consequences. G also curses like a drunken sailor.

"So Windy was right. Only the three of us even _remember_ the Commissioner." Vincent Valentine murmurs, looking lost, as if an unquestionable fact of reality had been proven false. Tseng could somewhat sympathize. Given everything he'd read of Allodo Shinra and the anecdotes told to his elder counterpart, the Commissioner had been a sheer force of nature incarnate. Those who'd known the man personally would have found it unthinkable, for such sheer **personality** to be completely erased from public record in a mere decade.

"My daughter is dead, sir." At the mention of his daughter, Veld's expression closes. "I buried her in Kalm, beside my wife."

Turk training, to deny what you want protected _at all costs_ because If it's too good to be true, _ it probably is._ His Felicia had not died at Kalm, Veld had checked and _looked_. The body he'd been given was a DNA mismatch to both himself and his sweet Isabella, but there was no guarantee Felicia was still alive today after being missing for over a decade. 

"I can certainly see where you got the habit from, but at least you've surpassed your mentor in your ability to lie," Rufus sighs at Veld's denial and he turns his head to look at Tseng. 

"Plausible deniability, sir." Tseng nods back to Rufus and pushes a thin file titled 'Rex Immortalis' to Veld. "Windy regrets she was unable to provide this intel before her early retirement. The latest data she was able to gather dates from early 1986. You'll know where to start looking better than we do, sir. The President isn't interested in having an Heir, only **spares**. While I understand your original decision to await a suitable Heir's majority, we are running out of time. " 

He understood his mentor too well. With both of the President's brothers _missing_ twelve years ago, removing the President simply wasn't a feasible option. The resultant Power Vacuum would have been chaos, with no single Board Director with the required seniority and charisma - and all of the President's issue, legitimate or not, under thirteen years of age. Even if the Turks were to have held the Company in trust until a suitable Shinra Heir came of age - it would have required all of Veld's attention on the _Turks_ at optimized operation, not the Company. 

_The projections on the loss of life due to disruption of **mako** power would have been, at minimum - a quarter of the world's population._

Yes, and while both Meteorfall and Geostigma to come had taken more, half the world's total population and then halved again - it was the sort of math equation Rufus Shinra did not wish to solve for a second time. He'd thought he had all the answers then, one small, irritating terrorist cell to offer up for sacrifice to the world's continued security. The Planet had proven him wrong - and Rufus Shinra would _not be wrong again_. 

"All survivors of the Kalm Incident were requisitioned by Hojo." Tseng tells Veld, holding up a hand to forestall any interrupting questions. "Some survived Hojo, but the new intel we have indicates their survival is due to escaping to Wutai. I will shortly be taking leave to draw on what connections I may have inherited, and I **will not be holding anything back this time**, sir. We cannot afford half measures, and a **renegade** Wutai noble has more freedom to act - while knowing the _native_ rules of engagement." 

Tseng's Wutai heritage was an open secret among the Turks. His very existence was bait, like candle flame to moths for Wutai loyalists. Many Wutai agents had not survived due to the inability to disregard a Traitor, and all Tseng needed to do was to hand in observation reports on supposed _civilian_ interactions. And no one, not even _Wutai_ knew exactly how high Tseng's extinct and unidentified Clan had been placed in Wutai hierarchy, due to the strife of its internal politics. Even Veld only knew that Tseng's survival was thanks to faithful retainers smuggling a thirteen year old boy out of Wutai straight into one of Shinra's Turk Recruitment Orphanages - as a war orphan - after ensuring the records listed Tseng's birth name among the dead. 

"So, Veld, do we have an agreement?" Rufus asks impatiently as Veld looks over the file and frowns over its contents, because that's really the crux of this meeting. He's not leaving it until he gets Veld's promise. Where Veld went, the Turks would follow - and Rufus had already secured Tseng's loyalty with the name of that long dead Moon Clan boy who would never be resurrected. Both Tseng and the Turks were _his_, as they should be. 

"You do, Vice President." Veld extends his good hand to Rufus. He has a direction to search again, when he thought all leads gone. 

"Excellent, Director," Rufus takes Veld's hand and gives it a firm shake, sealing the deal. "Now, about my _other_ Uncle -"

The sharp crackle of the audio turning on makes Gun start, both Vincent and Dark Nation discomfited - Tseng makes note of the older Turk's enhanced hearing, just in case.

"Kid, you've got balls." A rough voice spoke, thick with the common accent from Midgar Slums, the conference call video screen flickering to life. "Veld's not the one to ask if you wanted answers about your _other uncle - I am."_

The static fades to reveal a dark-eyed man in his late 30s, who looked the part of a slum goon - if handsomer, fitter and more well groomed than most of that ilk. Red hair, a shade lighter than Reno's or that of the elder Rufus Shinra - but another shade common to those born of first generation Wutai mixed blood. His collar was open, tie loose, with scarlet tribal tattoo flames covering the right half of his face - and continuing down the neck and under his shirt. 

At first, Rufus thinks the man on the screen is Reno's uncle, but then he realizes that this must be _Legend_. 

"Pardon the informality, VP - I'm under house arrest when off duty." The man dragged on the cigarette in his mouth as he poured himself a glass, then raised in salute to Rufus from the screen. "Turk Code 'Legend', former convicted terrorist 'Shinigami', and _former_ Director of Weapons Development at your service. Call me 'G' or 'Giacomo'- I answered to either from your uncle, Giotto Shinra." 

This certainly wasn't what Rufus had pictured when he'd been told of Giotto's best friend. Then again, he's not entirely sure what he'd been picturing. Whatever it was, it was _not_ Reno's not-Uncle. Giacomo does remind Rufus of an older, more mature and _disciplined_ Reno, and acted it. And if his credentials were to be believed, G himself was easily the equal of an entire Department's vote - if he were able to resume control of Weapons Development as he'd broadly hinted at. 

"It's a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance, Giacomo." Rufus folded his hands before him, fingers steepled together. "I have been … informed of your service to Uncle Giotto. I had hoped you'd make an appearance for this meeting." 

"Pleasure to meet you too, VP - excuse me if I don't use your name. To me, Rufus is still the name of Giotto's old man." A pause as G set his glass down. "I'll be frank with you, Kid - I don't fucking _care_ about the Turks, the Company, or _your_ agenda as long as it means making _**Riccardo Shinra PAY.**_"

The final phrase was snarled out with such rage and grief and sheer **venom**, it makes Tseng start. Because it was a mirror darkly - of what Tseng himself or Reno could have fallen to, if Rufus was dead, if no Turks remained, and if there was no _living_ legacy to guard. Onscreen, G continues, laying his motivations bare. 

"There's no nice way to say it, I was born a street rat. Giotto was my best friend and _moral compass_ after your grandfather gave me a home. I didn't even have a proper name until Giotto helped me to choose one, and I _chose_ to follow him." 

"You're more like Allodo than Giotto, ruthless and you know _exactly_ what you want. Well, the biggest reason fucking Riccardo is keeping me alive is because I have something he wants - and shut your face, Veld, it's NOT the fucking Security Systems even though I _wrote_ them. I am not FUCKING giving it to the Turks because **BOTH** Allodo and Giotto died of it!" 

Rufus is pleased. Giacomo is an interesting man, driven by vengeance for the death of Rufus' uncle. Which makes him Riccardo's enemy and the enemy of an enemy - perhaps even Rufus' friend - if Giacomo perceives Rufus' association with Giotto to be stronger than being his father's son. He suspects Giacomo to be an ally worth cultivating - for information, if nothing else - if Rufus were to give him the revenge he so obviously, desperately desires. 

"If that is your goal, then you'll be well satisfied," Rufus promises him. "I have no love for my father. He's kept my _family_ from me, raised me as _life insurance_ and had my mother killed. I would very much like him to drop dead from _natural causes as soon as possible."_

"He killed your grandfather." The spark of mad vengeance calms somewhat, at Rufus' reassurance. "Allodo wouldn't believe it because the evidence I had was too _circumstantial_, when he's gone after suspected criminals for less, and Giotto -" 

There was a long suffering sigh. "Giotto would _never_ have believed it. Riccardo was _his brother_, even if Allodo's the one he was closer to." 

"I have little doubt in my father's ability to commit patricide - he's killed nearly every other member of my immediate family, after all." Lazard would have been as good as dead. Cloud was safe this time only because Riccardo Shinra would never know about him, in exhange for Windy Strife's return to the Turks. The revelation that _Cloud fucking Strife_ was Rufus' half-brother still stings.

"50-50 hindsight is a _bitch_, and your grandfather was probably only the first _success_." G snorts as he pours himself a second glass, setting cigarette to rest in an ashtray before drawing one leg up over a knee in a lazy sprawl. "Some of the stories Giotto's told me about his childhood - I'm fairly certain that there was attempted fratricide when your father was _nine_. He was the one helping baby brother - who was five - to escape the nursery and find big brother Allodo - who was fourteen - on his solo training runs in Nibel Mountains. Allodo had fuckin' beaten down all the wolf packs in the region into submission and moved on to _dragons_ by then.

"Anyhow, I know I'm a good hacker but this line isn't secure enough for what I want to talk to you about. Kid, what I'm going to show you, I don't have any proof other than my own person. There's only ever been six people in on this and two of them are dead - and I know for certain Allodo and Giotto are both dead - because what Riccardo wants from me lets you see _Dead People_."

Of the Turks at meeting, Veld tries to protest, and Gun looked skeptical. Vincent, however, had gone quiet listening to Giacomo's claims. 

"I'm not crazy, Veld. Remember that month Allodo kept _calling me over_ and the Commissioner's office underwent renovations _every_ week?" 

"I believe you." Rufus is somewhat surprised by the idea that Giacomo can _see_ the dead. But then, he'd woken up from his malingering death by Geostigma into his healthy eighteen year old body, thrust back in time by the Planet, if Aerith was to be believed. "I would like to meet with you in person - preferably soon, to learn more about my uncles."

_What in Leviathan's Name was Giacomo talking about? _ Tseng's mind worked furiously to connect the dots - the Giacomo that the older Tseng had met was far more stable and _content_ if still fiery tempered, with no hint of this apparent madness. But this was the _younger_ Legend Tseng had partnered once. The man who'd wanted to set the world aflame if it meant Shinra suffered, and yet paradoxically served the short time in the Turks before revealing he could have left any time he wanted to. 

Weapons Development. Seeing the Dead. The LifeStream held the Dead and their voices. _Hearing_ the Planet. Ancients, Cetra, _Aerith_. Wutai and its Tradition of **Miko** and **Kannushi**.

_They found another way to recreate Ancient powers._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still debating whether or not to make G related to Reno. They have the same mouthy attitude and schadenfreude humor, but FUCK G is so much more disciplined and … mature about it? Sort of? Maybe because he has more Firepower to back up the Shitty Attitude? Because he still enabled Giotto's Well Meaning Dumb Shit. (I subscribe to the Chinese fanon that Giotto is as much of a fuckup Dame as Tsuna - he's just Better at Faking he's Got It All Together.)
> 
> The whole "Giacomo" thing comes from headcanon that G didn't have an actual name as a street kid, so when Giotto helped him get properly documented, G picked a name that ethnically-matched Giotto's and meant "follower".
> 
> It's scary how some KHR Primo Gen can OVERWRITE VII canon characters easily - Here G = Legend and headcanon PATCH canon in a way that makes Too Much Freaking Sense.
> 
> For those of you coming from the KHR side of the fandom:
> 
> 1\. Legend was formerly a terrorist known as "Shinigami" - working against Shinra Electric Power Company before his "community service" as a Turk, specializing in chain bombs and remote bombs. He was usually under House Arrest between missions.
> 
> 2\. The Ancients were a race of humanoids on Gaia that called themselves Cetra. In series it's suggested they're not native but alien settlers on the Planet. They've all but died out by this time, and Aerith Gainsborough is the last known living Cetra. They were supposedly wise, benevolent and peaceful rulers over Mankind, capable of using Magic without the use of Materia, and communicate with the Planet Gaia. If Luce exist in this 'Verse, she's Cetra, as is Checker-Face. I've already fused Uni to Aerith and Aria to Ifalna.
> 
> 3\. The Lifestream flows through the Planet like blood vessels in our bodies, and is the Life Blood of the Planet to which the Dead return. The solid form are Materia, said to contain the wisdom and knowledge of the Ancients. The above is widely consider to be backwards superstition in Gaia's current industrial age. The liquid form is **Mako**, and Mako Power is the 'clean innovative' energy source used by Shinra Electric Power Company in their many power plants all over Gaia. The technology is a jealousy guarded trade secret, as it enabled Shinra to gain monopoly over pretty much **all areas of technological advancements** on Gaia. The sole holdout against Shinra Rule is the Island Nation Wutai, at war with Shinra's regular Army and special SOLDIER forces. At this point in time ([ μ ] – εуλ 1998), the war has been going on 'officially' for 6 years. In Rufus' Time; it ends [ ν ] – εуλ 0001 February by Shinra PR announcement; three years later. 
> 
> I've also done entirely away with the whole Vendice/Arcobaleno setup - if there's any Tri-Ni-Sette Shit going on here, please assume the Shimon Rings replaced the Pacifiers. 
> 
> For those of you coming from the VII side of the fandom:
> 
> 1\. G was Giotto's Storm Guardian and right hand man - they grew up together and were best friends. G's supposed to be very similar to the Vongola Familia's 10th Gen Successor, Hayato Gokudera - especially in youthful temperament. So I've tacked on both Gokudera's known aptitude at bombs and weapon design for G as well - sorry Gokudera fans, he's not likely to appear in this fusion Xover. If G seems OOC, unbalanced and bipolar, acting like TYL!Gokudera at seeing Tsunayoshi pop out of a coffin - a Plot Reason will explain why in later chapters. 
> 
> 2\. The Vongola Primo Gen had about as much fleshed out in KHR canon as the Turks do in VII canon, so they're open to the same degree of interpretation. They were among the first to harness Flames as a means of combat. Because Flames were both a Manifestation of, and fueled by the User's life force, the Vongola Familia has managed to hit the tenth generation of power transition in merely 300 years. Judging from the Ring Spirits' apparent ages, most of the Vongola Dons seems to have died before age 50 - with Giotto and the Ottavo Daniela both extremely young and looking under 30. While this problem Does Not Exist on Gaia, there's another Can of Worms to be opened. 
> 
> 3\. All of the Flame Shit G's planning to teach Rufus is pretty much KHR canon with the serial numbers filed off to fit VII canon worldview, and Mako = life force equivalency. I will be taking some liberties with how one learns Flame Use - making the Vongola Rings even more of a shortcut to first ignition. It's possible to learn it on your own but like G says, _ten times the effort for a tenth of the results_ without the Rings or some other foci to ignite and weaponize Flames. 
> 
> Any differences in the way the Rings/Flames work, please chalk it up to Primo Gen Still Trying to Figure It Out, Universal Shift, and Cetra/Ancients Messing with Things They Know Not. 


	3. Rings of Fire: Tempesta, Cielo, Pioggia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One Sentence Summary: "Rufus learns what it's to be like to be a Shonen Manga Protagonist."
> 
> VII Before Crisis Canon!Legend always kind of irritated me because he _should_ have gotten Exit Interview'ed.  
Overwriting him with G in this fusion headcanon explained WHY he's doing "community service" as a Turk instead of being shipped out in a body bag.
> 
> As the _former_ Director of Weapons Development, G had access to quite a bit of Shinra Secrets.  
So here's the "What if AVALANCHE and the Turks got their Midgar Demolition Plans from the same source?" Brain Wave.  
G's Self-Aware that he's Not a Nice Guy - he's only Nice because otherwise it makes Giotto cry - he was so NOT fucking kidding to Rufus about Giotto being his moral compass. 
> 
> Rufus, you're going to be forever "Kiddo" and "Kid" to him because G called Grandpa Shinra _'Uncle Rufus'_.
> 
> Also holy fuck this chapter is long and took me forever to finish editing. G is a foul mouthed mother hen who fucking WANTED Rufus to both learn Flame safely + come away with the most DEFENSIVE shielding technique he knew. I need to come back and update - so if you see changes in the dialogue, yeah, it's me missing something in my edit.

The address given by Veld was actually quite close to Rufus' personal safehouse - and probably for the same reasons, given what Rufus knew of Giotto Shinra's reputation. It was upscale, modern, neatly manicured and maintained like its neighbours - and utterly without personality as it blended into the background.

Tseng noticed the way the street security cameras panned and followed their progress, and surreptitiously gave Rufus alert in Turk hand sign. He did not think it coincidence, and Legend had named himself a hacker. At Tseng's signal, Rufus glances - briefly in the direction of a camera, though not directly at it - as if looking for something else. 

Yes, Tseng was right - definitely Giacomo's doing. That's fine. He'd rather not take a Turk by surprise, anyway. Especially not such a dangerous one.

"I'm fairly sure I've passed this house before." Rufus remarks idlely. Disguised, on his way to his own safehouse - he knows this street.

"I think if we checked the house it would be in your Uncle's name." Tseng follows Rufus, standing guard of his blind spot. "Allodo Shinra was never officially declared dead, only missing. Giotto was - and the President seized his share of Company stocks after he was declared dead. While not _voting_ class shares, they were enough for one to live off the dividends even if they spent the rest of their life doing nothing. For some reason, your Father never bothered with any of their properties.

"Most of the residents in this Sector Upper Plate are nouveau rich. Thespians, entertainers, star athletes. And regularly patrolled by Public Safety to keep paparazzi out."

"The people that move up from the slums and can't get a place in the heart of Upper Plate." Rufus agrees, musing. Either that, or immigrants that absolutely did not want to live in the slums. But the only place to really make money on Eastern Continent was Junon. It wasn't like anyone from Kalm could hope to get a spot Upper Plate, unless they were Old Money. Heading up the steps to the front door, Rufus knocks. They'd better not have to stand out here for long if Giacomo knew they were coming.

"Door's unlocked." There's a small buzz and the intercom by the entrance spoke. "Open bar in the living room - or meet in the kitchen, whichever's more comfortable. I need some room for the demonstration, as shooting is involved. And bar because you'll need the drink after. I know I _did_ and I discovered how it worked."

"Kitchen would have a back door." Tseng looks at Rufus.

Rufus is of the opinion that people have a bad habit of being vague. He opens the door and steps inside, heading straight for the kitchen so he can pour himself and Tseng that proffered drink. Not too much, of course - neither of them needed to get drunk. 

The interior was warmly furnished, with understated but _expensive_ wood panelling. Tseng couldn't quite place why it looked familiar at first - then it clicked. The house was decorated as Shinra Mansion would have been, in its prime. Warm wood walls and vintage plush furniture that invited relaxation, for one to linger. Giotto Shinra had chosen to decorate this place as a home away from home. Stepping into the hallway, Legend waves them over, pointing to what looked like a custom archery bow laying in the middle of the kitchen table.

"I need you two to check it. Know for yourself that there's no materia - nor is there any materia slots. Then I'm going to use it to shoot that f-ugly plate on the wall over there, without _physical_ ammunition. You can check the plate, too."

The vintage decorative plate indicated by Legend was handpainted, gold plated, and an utter monstrosity out of place on the wooden panelling like a gaudy eyesore. G had argued with Giotto often over the placement, and that it _deserved_ to die in raging fire, and Giotto's response had been that it was an easy target for G to take his temper out on. Well, he'll be doing that now sixteen years after the conversation, and test if his control was still true after all these years.

"Sound like the spirit arrows I read about in a book once." Rufus says as he looks around the house. It does seem in line with Giotto's tastes, so it's no surprise that it's in his name. Though it does seem like an odd place for Giacomo to choose to settle for his house arrest. The reminders of the past would be difficult. Inspecting the bow, Rufus picks it up and runs his fingers along the smooth metal. It certainly doesn't _look_ like anything special, and there's definitely no materia nor anywhere one could be equipped. Done, he hands it over to Tseng for the Turk to inspect.

Tseng tests the pull - even the drawstring was some sort of flexible metal alloy, and the bow itself was surprisingly lightweight for something of pure metal construction. 

"This one's mine." Legend was clearly a chain smoker, judging by the contents of the ashtray still eddying tendrils of smoke. "The original Ancient artefacts were more like amplifiers. I figured out how they worked, and to _weaponize_ what I found, they need to be tuned and customized to energy type, so no mass production. 

"I'll go into the technical details later, but you not only _needed_ training, if the amount of energy produced is below threshold _potency_, stick to regular guns."

Legend draws the bow - and a flicker of _red_ flame forms where an arrow would have been placed. It flares brightly, and impossibly pure red fire with black coiling at its centre, sending out tendrils of red like lightning before it _condenses_ and lightens into a smaller, focused bolt. 

Rufus observes Giacomo harnessing the bow with interest. Could the man do this with any bow? Was the bow itself special? And then there's a flare of magic - not magic? - that is shaped into an arrow, but with less mass and more power. 

Legend releases - and the red not-fire arrow struck the plate soundlessly. At first, Rufus thinks nothing happened to the plate. Then it seems to age in fast forward, gold flaking and paint fading - _decaying_ visibly before it crumbled to dust. It was obviously controlled, possibly dampened down - because nothing else was affected. Not the wall, or even the nail the plate had hung on.

"The Flame _Tempesta_, Affinity: Disintegration." 

"Fascinating." Rufus says, moving forward to crouch next to and examine the fast-weathering pile of dust. So, both the bow and the user must be attuned to each other? What a fascinating power. "How did you discover this?" 

"By figuring out how to do _this_." G very carefully sets the bow back down onto the table, extending his right hand, palm upwards. And the same red not-fire engulfs the hand. "It doesn't hurt me, because its being made from my own _life-force_, and this is what my main Flame Affinity _is_." 

"There's more than one type of manifestation for life energy." Tseng caught on. 

"Got it in one. And it's _tiring_ doing this without the _Tempesta_ Ring. I'm spending about ten times the effort for about a tenth of the output." Legend lets the energy dissipate, looking slightly drained. "Even without the Ancient artefacts or a weapon foci, at full strength I can take out the whole wall panel that plate was on. 

"It was all just theory at first. If mako power is sourced from the Lifestream, why couldn't we consider our bodies miniature Lifestreams and skip a step? _That_ was my grad paper on the _theory_ of the Ancients' ability to practice magic without materia. 

"Giotto was the one who brought me the _Cielo_ Rings. He'd found them at some antique exchange, grey market at best. I didn't ask. Giotto gets into the most Impossible Stupid Shit and as long as I wasn't the one cleaning up after him, I was much better off not asking. I picked up one of the Rings and put it on because it - for lack of a better description - _called_ to me. Then the whole setting myself on fire but not happened. I passed out from the energy drain, but not before disintegrating everything _else_ I was wearing and leaving a Giacomo-shaped hole in the floor." 

"So you gain power by using up your own life." Rufus frowns. He supposes that's alright if one doesn't have a long life expectancy - but as a general battle strategy, it didn't seem particularly sustainable. An emergency strategy, perhaps? It also sounded like it was only _one_ among many types of power to be gained, and if they were all as powerful as the red not-fire Tempesta … "What other types are there? What are _Cielo_ Rings? Who made them? How do they work?"

Rufus was definitely not as surprised or incredulous as he would have been ten years ago. He supposes he's gotten jaded from seeing what the Lifestream can do. 

"Easy on the questions, Kiddo - I'll get there." Legend sits back on a chair and pours himself and his guests a stiff one. Dark Chocobo - a very expensive brand of whiskey Rufus recognized. And one of the '76 distillation that was difficult to obtain even for those with the Gil. Clearly, Uncle Giotto kept a well stocked cellar. "Yes, it uses life-force - but it starts with your _mana_ first. When that's gone dry, THEN you're in trouble.

"What saved me at first is the fact that when Flame Users go unconscious, the Flames also go out. But THAT only delayed the inevitable - I woke up with a raging headache, buck naked and feeling limper than a wrung dish rag - and with _Tempesta_ turned back on and I couldn't fucking turn it **off**.

"So there I was chugging ethers, potions, elixirs and it _wasn't helping_, filling up falling over potion-drunk and still draining myself too fucking fast to keep up. 

"That's how Giotto found me - he saved my life even though it was technically his fucking fault in the first place. I don't know how he knew what to do, but the dumbass grabs _another_ Ring from the box and starts _feeding_ me with his own _fucking life force_ until I figured out HOW to turn it off. 

"Giotto's Affinity was _Harmony_, the _main_ Cielo Flame. It could absorb or feed other Flames, as we'd found out then. 

"Now, for your next question: The _Cielo_ Rings number seven in total as a full set. There are as many types of Flames as there are Rings.

"From what I've been able to find on them, there's supposed to be _three_ sets of seven Rings - _Cielo_, _Mare_, and _Terra_. According to legend, they were made by the Ancients, given to HUMAN Champions fighting for their cause. But I've never heard of the other two sets surfacing, much less have seen them. Heck, I didn't know a thing about the _Cielo_ Rings when Giotto gave them to me.

"Any how, Seven Rings, Seven Flames, each with a different Affinity. We figured out that EVERYONE has Flames, but usually not so potent or focused in any one Affinity. Me, I can only activate the _Tempesta_ Ring, nothing else. Allodo could do two, but his _Nebbia_ Flame was considerably weaker than the _Nuvola_ on the corresponding Ring. And there's one of the Seven, _Fulmine_, that we never found anybody strong enough to activate."

Honestly, there were just too damn many ways for people to get powers. It was beginning to border on farcical and Rufus was getting tired of worrying about all of them. He sighs and stands back up, smoothing down the front of his suit jacket.

"Potentially anyone, then, can gain powers if they have one of these rings?" Rufus tries to summarize. The Turks could get their hands on more of them - but so could some very dangerous people.

"Theoretically, and that's part of the reason I swore everyone involved to secrecy. You can imagine WHY we wanted to keep it quiet. My custom bow is more a means to focus the power - one that doesn't _fall apart_ after one use. Both Giotto and Knuckle - the _Sereno_ Flame User - used their Flames to act like Stat Boost Materia, since they were hand-to-hand specialists. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

"Anyone who has _no clue_ what they're dealing with would probably kill themselves first, trying. To people who aren't strong enough in ANY single Affinity, they're just pretty baubles, pieces of jewelry. That's probably how they were able to stay hidden for so long." G sighed, running a hand through his messy red hair and starting on his third cigarette. "ANYONE who was strong enough would have died, if they didn't figure out how to turn the Flame off after first ignition - unless they were _Cielo_, and even then, only if they figured out how to absorb _Materia_ once they ran out of potions.

"We really couldn't do much testing at first, because it was so dangerous. We did figure out Giotto was least likely to burn out because of _Cielo_'s ability to absorb materia. Giotto fucking **ATE** up a Mastered FIRE Materia and two levels of a Mastered Elemental."

"So his _bright idea_ was to be on standby feeding people as the **MANA BATTERY** once you're too full to drink potions." 

"So you have seven of these Rings. What about the rest? Is there a way to track them down?" Rufus would rather get his hands on them first, though that's a low priority mission, given everything else they're dealing with. And if only one set have been found thus far, then the rest of them must be very well hidden. Or sitting in plain sight in a collector's room, their true powers unknown.

"No. Fucking. Clue. They're supposed to react to each other, and with the other two Sets of Seven but fuck if I knew how. I had an ear out for stories about mysterious cursed Rings and inexplicable deaths, and Allodo put the Turks on it as long-term intel gather mission but we got nothing." G got up to open a safe clichédly hidden behind a painting, taking out a plain jewelry box, dark wood and hexagon shaped. 

"Don't look at me like that, this was Giotto's place and he thought it would be funny." He also puts a stack of files and experiment reports on the table for Rufus and Tseng to peruse. 

"This is just a _gut feeling_ as Giotto would've called it, but my bet is that you'd be _Cielo_ like Giotto. If there's a secondary Flame, _Nuvola_ like Allodo's main.

"And your Wutai lover there is probably _Pioggia_ like Ugetsu was."

"The Ancients certainly have the potential for incredible destructive force for a race of supposed pacifists." Rufus agrees, tapping at his chin with a finger. He says nothing about the comment of Tseng being his lover - he's going to ignore that entirely since it doesn't deserve to be acknowledged. If he was _Cielo_, if any Affinity at all worth note, then he supposed that would be good for support. If they desperately needed it - but he's also not particularly interested in using it if it operates off his lifeforce. And he's not interested in Tseng using it, either. Turks already had short enough life expectancies and Rufus would rather Tseng be around for as long as possible. "_Pioggia_? What does that one do?"

He is curious about what Tseng might have, even if he ends up forbidding the Turk from ever using it. Then again, sometimes it's better to sacrifice a bit of life force than to let the world burn.

"_Pioggia_ is a blue Flame that ripples and behaves like water. The Affinity is Tranquility, and when _combined_ with _Cielo_, creates the most fucking durable shield known to mankind. It took Allodo over an HOUR to pierce it with TWO RINGS amplifying his Flame Shit." G dragged on his cigarette and blew smoke before he continued. "As far as we can make out, _Pioggia_ by itself calms and stills things - but it's NOT identical to the slow and stop effects of Time Materia. Ugetsu's sword style and _Pioggia_'s subtle nature meant it was hard to see where one started and the other ended.

"I don't care what the fucking legends say. Ancients that made these rings are _not peaceful people._

"My personal theory is that there's too fucking FEW Ancients in the end. So they started using human PROXIES, that's why materia - and the Rings. That they're as human as you or I in the baser desires of power and control, to war upon each other in the first place." Noticing the empty glasses, G poured all three of them seconds of the very expensive whiskey. "And WHY there's so little safeguards to actually harnessing the Flames. It's so fucking easy to identify them, but compared to initial ignition, control was a _bitch_ to learn. I figured the Ancients set it up this way to let humans they deemed unworthy to be burnt out by the power - instead of teaching them."

"The Ancients were just as greedy as we are now, and look where that got them. No wonder this Planet is headed for hell in a handbasket." They're just repeating history, except they're doing worse than that because the Ancients never came close to using up mako as much as Shinra Electric Power Company was. 

They sat in silence for a while, Tseng paging through Legend's reports - then something occurs to Rufus.

"And how does this connect to you seeing dead people?"

Though, Rufus does wonder if this was related to the phenomenon of SOLDIER _hearing_ the Lifestream when in proximity - as compiled by Sephiroth's private report and data. It's that same connection.

Also, Aerith told him that he has connection to the Planet now. Would he be particularly susceptible to seeing the Dead if he uses the Rings? There are too many questions, not enough answers, and the worst part is that in order to _test_ any of those theories, it will cost Rufus his own life force. The Planet has a terrible system.

"Giotto figured out how to pull on _**mako**_ with _Cielo_ and **EVERYBODY'S FUCKING BODY COUNT** started showing up. It's like he fucking lit a _beacon_ for the dead to find Flame Users. It wasn't hallucination because REGULAR people saw them fine, too. Allodo was Not Fucking Amused, since his body count was the highest. 

"For a _whole month_, I got fucking called down to the Commissioner's office on a daily basis to SEND THEM BACK TO THE LIFESTREAM because _Tempesta_ was the only Flame that laid them **permanently** to rest. And the Dead aren't very coherent, especially if it's been years since. They're obsessed and focused on whatever Unfinished Business that kept them from fully joining the Lifestream in the first place.

"Allodo and Giotto were the most self-aware ones I ever saw, the first ones I wasn't directly responsible for - and they didn't stay long. I saw Allodo about five years ago, and he was Not Happy, as usual. Something about a mistreated baby carnivore needing teeth and that he wasn't going to waste time coming back." 

"So you _can't_ control who you see, as far as you're aware? It's just whatever unsettled souls happen to find you?" Not as useful as Rufus had hoped, especially if the Dead were mostly incoherent. It's interesting that Allodo and Giotto both made appearances, though. He's not sure what the 'baby carnivore' thing is about, but he thinks maybe that was the confusion talking. 

"Yup. As far as I know it's the DEAD that decide who they feel like putting themselves back together for. Until I saw Allodo I thought I was only ever going to see assholes I blew the brains out of. Giotto ... I saw three years ago. " G didn't elaborate further. 

Whatever Giotto said to him was _personal_. He liked the kid and the kiddo's bright little Wutai Turk, but not that much.

"However, if your theories are correct, I may be able to boost Tseng's powers? This admittedly could be useful in certain situations." Like if they were trapped with enemies and waiting for Turk backup to arrive. The benefits must be weighed carefully against the cost.

"Kiddo, if you're _Cielo_, you can _replenish_ whatever you lose by absorbing materia. Like I said earlier - when he saved my life, Giotto ate a whole Mastered Fire and about two levels off a Mastered Elemental materia." G tossed back his second glass and pours a third for himself. "That's why we even did as much as experimentation as we did, for two years. And the reason _Cielo_ is the main Flame, apart from the absorption - is because it can _combine_ with the others. There's the more _conventional_ way of borrowing the other Affinities, but some of the combinations that happened was so much Do Not Want, we never bothered trying more than two types of Flames interacting together."

Tseng was slowly nursing his second whiskey shot as he read through Legend's neat handwriting. The man's penmanship only went wide with a lot of rampantly cursive "WTF not AGAIN Giotto" whenever Rufus' uncle found another way to turn the least dangerous Flame type lethal. Legend was _right_, he did need a stiff one after this. Probably more than one.

"_Tseng_'d also be able to boost yours. It's a lot fucking safer with two Flame Users that trust each other implicitly. If I hadn't recognized how he looks at you from seeing myself in the mirror, I wouldn't have bothered to offer." G was now glaring at his lighter, his third cigarette finished and very pointedly not reaching for another. "Giotto would have loved to be a part of your life, except Riccardo was a fucking dick. He told Giotto to stay the fuck away because he needed to order _paternity tests_ after you were born; fucking asshole accused Giotto of _sleeping with your mother_ when we all knew it was BULLSHIT."

"You loved my uncle?" Because that's obviously the implication here, if Giacomo believes that Tseng loves Rufus. So they'd been more than friends and that made things a little easier to explain, like Giacomo's intense hatred of his father - that hadn't _faded_ in over a decade since Giotto's death. "Then that's all the more reason to kill my father. I haven't yet decided who should have the honor, but if you feel particularly strong about it, I can make arrangements."

If it would help quiet Giacomo's restless soul, Rufus would give up his own desire to kill his father to get Giacomo his revenge. After all, Rufus had _already_ seen his old man's lifeless body before. He'll see it again and the satisfaction will be no less than if he did the deed himself. Rufus is pulling all the strings, after all. Even the fact of Riccardo slandering his mother's good name to keep his uncle away makes no difference: Rufus already hated his father with every fiber of his being.

"With EVERYTHING I had. Giotto's easy to love and loves too easily, and a _lot_ of people loved Giotto. Getting mad at him for sleeping around was like being mad because water was _wet_." G didn't bother to hide it. "And Riccardo's a slippery bastard. I want him _dead_, but if it means not being the one to do it I can live with that."

Rufus'd thought also of drawing Lazard to his side with the promise of letting him deal the fatal blow personally. But he'd also realized that Lazard is like Rufus: As long as the deed is done, that's good enough.

Except, based on what Giacomo said, Riccardo Shinra may still come back to haunt Rufus after death. "And if he decides to haunt me, I'll let you deal with him a second time."

"Ok, Allodo wouldn't have just _liked_ you, he'd have _loved_ you." G laughs at the offer of Riccardo Shinra's Final Death. "I loved him too, but he's more like the scary big brother who's ready to beat the sense into you when you did something Stupid. And Giotto did Stupid Shit on a regular basis. I loved him so much but he is just _infuriating_.

"The reason we stopped the experiments was because of Giotto's curiousity getting the better of him. They all pretty much needed him and his _Cielo_ Flames, since he could refuel _both_ himself and us after the limit on drinking potions was reached. 

"AFTER the fiasco with mako absorption and seeing Dead People, he tried to absorb an ENTIRE Ifrit Summon materia, instead of the spell effect or the summoned energy. Wound up in the hospital for SIX MONTHS with mako poisoning. Allodo promptly banned his access to official channels for materia and called it off, and the rest of us wasn't going to argue with Allodo. We did make sure Giotto still had basic materia and doubles of Mastered Fire materia just in case."

"So there's still risks to absorbing materia." Which made sense. Materia held explosive power in and of itself. "I'd like to do some experimentation as well, but that's something that will have to wait for another time. I have other projects I need to focus on first." 

Such as securing Lazard's fealty and making his father vulnerable to assassination.

"There's risks to breathing, drinking and having sex." G snorted. "Living _is_ taking risks. Both your uncles knew it, even though they had very different lifestyles to live their lives to the fullest with what they had. 

"Lemme give you the stuff we found out about absorbing materia first. Due to the elemental affinity, Fire seems to be the easiest for _Cielo_ to absorb. _Cielo_ is also the Flame that looks and acts most like a _real fire_ and can burn at will, if Giotto chose it to. Support materia also worked fine, as did stat boost materia. We never tried special or command materia, and after Giotto's stunt with summon materia, FUCK no.

"Whatever killed Allodo had to be deliberate, for Allodo to have burnt himself out this way. He used to take on Zoloms and Nibel Dragons as daily workouts, for fuck's sakes. _Without_ Flames. And Giotto _should_ have had enough materia on him - neither of them died naturally, and having had the Rings with them might have made the difference. The original _Cielo_ Rings cuts down on the energy needed to use Flames exponentially."

The more stories he hears, the more Rufus can put together a true picture of what his uncles were like. From the sounds of it, Allodo and Giotto were polar opposites: one stern and focused, the other bubbly and fun-loving. Then there was his father, who was the bitter, jealous middle child. The fucker who decided that if he couldn't be the centre of attention, then he'd kill whoever stole the spotlight.

"Murdering family members is well within my father's modus operandi and he's not exactly subtle." It was a wonder Rufus and Lazard were both still alive - except for the fact that they were just _life insurance_ for the old man. Rufus was only the favored child because his _pedigree_ was better.

Giacomo finally opens the unassuming wooden box, where six different colored Jewels shone, with one Ring a non-descript matte black metal shaped like a shield crest.

"If your Affinity is strong enough, you instinctively _know_ which Ring to take. They all looked like this at first," G pointed to the single black shield Ring with a lightning emblem. "Until we put them on and woke them with Affinity. _Cielo_ had a simpler, dull black Gem before Giotto grabbed it, but it also changed."

He looks at the offered Rings and narrows his eyes at them. They're so gaudy, like something designed by an elementary school child. Worse, the one that Rufus feels the most pull form is the absolute _worst_. Sitting right in the middle, surrounded by a rainbow of Jewels and one black shield crest, the _Cielo_ Ring's main Blue Gem was circled by six different colored Jewels, each corresponding to one of the other Rings. He plucks it out of his holder, staring at it without putting it on. 

"That is disgustingly ugly." Rufus says with a scowl. 

"Go right ahead and put it on, that's what I'm here for." Slipping the Scarlet Jewel Ring onto his left forefinger, G lets a small but steady flicker of red _Tempesta_ blossom over the red gem. "The _Cielo_ Rings are only necessary to ignite the Flame _initially_ \- they're overkill for beginners. I later figured out how to make reproductions, but they're less durable than the originals. 

"These are not only more energy efficient, they don't _shatter_ when too much power is put in. We never found their upper limit, not even with Giotto who had the highest mana capacity out of all of us - plus his ability at refuelling. 

"Allodo's longest record with my _Nuvola_ and _Nebbia_ copies were a month, and his control was far better than mine. The copies last longer if you don't push their limit so much. If you _really_ hate how it looks, I can always Seal them back to the old look after you're done. Or give you a _Cielo_ Copy. 

"It's not as if I can use anything other than the Tempesta anyway." 

Tseng listens and waits to take the pale blue _Pioggia_ Ring catching his attention. He'd also had Fire materia out and unequipped, ready for Rufus' consumption. 

Rufus is cautious as he examines the ring. He can feel the draw to put it on, but he also recalls Giacomo's story about how he practically lit on fire. Is that going to happen to him? He's not too terribly keen to find out, but there's no rewards if no risks are taken. That's always been a defining feature of how Rufus lives - though it hadn't been enough, in the end. Despite all the risky treatments he'd tried, that Tseng and _his_ Turks found - he'd died of Geostigma. 

At least, he supposes, these are the _original_ rings and he won't burn through his life so quickly if something goes wrong. He takes a breath to steady himself and then he slips the gaudy bauble onto the ring finger of his right hand. At first, Rufus thinks nothing happens, but then a power surges through him, bright and heady and so full of life that Rufus swears colors are brighter and he can hear Tseng's heartbeat racing.

"Stand back and grab a fire extinguisher. Kid's not flammable but everything else is. You'll get your chance to feel what Flame dancing with _Cielo_ is like next." Giacomo's voice, directing Tseng.

Rufus tips his head back, closing his eyes as he feels every inch of his skin tingle with sensation. He feels alive in ways he didn't even know existed. He's completely unaware that his suit has ignited. He doesn't feel the heat of it - if it even is flames. All he feels is a fullness in his chest that can't really be described.

To G, there was a familiar orange Flame and nostalgic heat he thought he'd not see again in this lifetime - and he could feel Rufus starting to lose himself in the draw of _Cielo_'s all encompassing Harmony. So he pressed _Tempesta_ in a flaring surge, just enough to disrupt it.

It wasn't something he could have told them, not until after - but you _couldn't_ lie through Flames. So G felt and confirmed the initial impression he had of Rufus Shinra as he gave direction in spoken words and in Flame.

There's ambition and pain and an unexpectedly _heavy_ weight of years from Rufus, but conviction and dedication too - and the same hatred for Riccardo Shinra. 

_Yes._

"Kid, you hear me? You need to pull it back in." Red fire leaping, reaching almost ceiling high and circling over Rufus' skin, and Rufus can taste the rage and grief held back by a thin thread of hope. The _Tempesta_ didn't burn but seared, eroding away at the edge of Rufus' consciousness and he's confused at first, as to what it is and where it comes from. These aren't his emotions and neither is the power his own, just something small and wheedling, eating away slowly at Rufus but it was weak and pale to his Power and easily overcome if he wished.

Rufus decides he doesn't like it. He pulls at it, drawing it in like he's trying to snap a stray thread on his clothing, and then he realizes there are so many threads to draw. He tugs at them again and again, drawing them into himself, and somehow, the emotions and the overwhelming sensations all seem to die down to a quiet whisper. 

Opening his eyes, Rufus blinks and looks around. It takes him a minute to fully come back to himself... and then he realizes that he's naked. The only way to keep his pride at this point is to keep his spine straight, head held high and resist the urge to cover himself.

"You could have told me to remove my suit first," he grumbles at Giacomo. 

"Now where's the fun in that?" G grins - after surviving the experience, he and Giotto had attempted to see if it would work on Allodo - but the man's self control was too formidable and stopped the loss of clothing to outer layers only. The beating from a dumbfounded and then outraged Allodo clad only in boxers and socks had been _so_ worth it.

"What's your boxer size? You're gonna need to live with this for a while as you practice, so both Allodo and Giotto's got spare clothing upstairs in their respective rooms. Giotto's stuff should fit you."

Ugetsu and Knuckle had gotten off even easier due to the nature of their Flames, Wutai meditation exercises, and the fact that there was just _more_ fabric to Wutai fashion.

"Small," Rufus says as he turns to seek out the stairs, spine still straight and posture perfect, though there's a little sway in his hips as he heads upstairs. They can both have an eyeful and Rufus does not care. He has nothing to be ashamed of, that's for sure.

"DEFINITELY Giotto's size then." A hand catches Rufus' and presses a colorless support materia - Mastered Added Cut - into his palm. "While you're still naked, try to remember what it felt like when you took the _Tempesta_ in and test it. I'll need to get you to have an idea how to feed Tseng when it's his turn, since I can't catch him the way I did you." 

"Perhaps I should go with you, to also fetch a set for myself." Tseng'd have preferred to undress, but suspected Rufus would appreciate the show of solidarity.

Rufus glances back - he does appreciate Tseng's loyalty, even if it's entirely unnecessary. He doesn't need pity nud - on second thought, pity nudity might be what he needed to brighten up his day.

"Your Tseng's a lucky man." Giacomo's gaze on Rufus' body was appreciative but not lewd, more like for a work of art than object of desire. "Bring up the fire extinguisher too, just in case."

Rufus fingers the materia, ignoring the remark about his body (because he knows, thank you), and gazes at it for a moment. Hmm. Yes, he'll have to give it a try. 

The upstairs was furnished in much the same manner as downstairs, but had three bedrooms, a study and two full bathrooms.

Rufus decides he'd like some boxers on first, entering the Master Bedroom. Bingo - the photo of a [younger tousled teen Giotto & Giacomo](https://www.pixiv.net/en/artworks/10722069) by the nightstand indicated the owner. And it seems his Uncle also had a preference for white suits, comprising about a third of his wardrobe. Very good. This pleases Rufus on multiple levels.

He takes a pair of boxers and slips into them, shifting his hips a bit as he pulls them up, and then he holds the materia in his palm. He focuses on it, mentally poking at it, searching for the threads he found earlier. Ah... there they are. Tendrils of energy that he can tug into himself, holding them close. 

"Are they all stocked?" Tseng asked as he brought up the rear and the fire extinguisher - Rufus probably wanted to wash up too.

"Yeah, feel free to use them. The one without the jacuzzi is the guest bathroom Allodo usually used."

Rufus stops tugging for a moment, though, calling to Giacomo: "Do you have any idea how I pass it on to someone else?" Maybe he just needs to direct the threads somehow? 

"That was quick." G pokes his head in. "You'll need to practice on me first, so I can show you how to combine with another Flame before you get to Tseng. To feel the difference between a receptive Flame and a resisting Flame.

"While I don't think Tseng would be resisting your Flame reaching for his, this is new for both of you and I want to minimize the chance of something going wrong."

"Excellent. It sounds perfectly straight-forward and like nothing could possibly go sideways," Rufus says with a snort. He bundles up a full suit to take downstairs with him, as well, though he doesn't put anything on right now other than the boxers. "I'd rather not burn a second suit today." 

"Perhaps we should take this back downstairs after the Vice President is done." Tseng suggests as he follows, arm bundled with a dark suit and coat - along with the fire extinguisher. "I noticed sufficient personal items upstairs to assume you do not want to risk them." 

"Mmmhmmm." Giacomo was in a good enough mood to be whistling a cheery tune going back down the stairs. "Tseng should actually have it comparatively easier. _Pioggia_ doesn't burn, it... Well, you'll see. But he'll likely need the extra suit, too."

"Think about how it feels like, hold a conviction in your mind, something you're willing to die for then focus it through the _Cielo_ Ring." Once they were sitting around the table again, Giacomo gestures for Rufus to hold out his ring hand.

Rufus has plenty of things he's willing to die for. Tseng is one of them, though the Turk would rather not hear that. Ever. Rufus will never tell him, in this life or the next. But it's the easiest thought to latch on to because Tseng is right here and Rufus needs to protect him from himself, apparently - give him energy until he can figure out how to control his own. 

The blond's eyes narrow, his mouth pulled into a tight line, and then he holds out his hand. He can do this.

"Good, hold it - it's easier if I work on Sealing while it's active." Giacomo also has his ring lit, and was working on the _Cielo_ ring, red not-fire twining with Rufus' orange ones to apply pressure. "This lowers the output to about a quarter of the highest energy level I recorded, tops - but it won't hold if you somehow need to put in that much Flame."

He only knew because he'd done it while they all tried to find a way to curb Giotto's recklessness, and well - the Seal hadn't lasted more than a week.

"Can you feel the _Tempesta_ herding your Flames? This is what resistance feels like. Try pushing against it, lightly like a finger poke."

Rufus closes his eyes to concentrate better on what he's feeling rather than what he's seeing. He finds Giacomo's flame easily enough, though it takes him a second to figure out how to interact with it again. He finds it works better if he has a mental picture of a physical action, so he pretends that it's like a wall closing in on him that he puts a hand against. Just a gentle push. 

There was, as Giacomo described, resistance and the same sear where Rufus' phantom hand pushed, the same needling shredding the edges of Rufus' Flame.

"Perfect. Hold it there and don't pull. I'm going to adjust my stance." This was the tricky part and Giotto had trusted him completely. Rufus only did conditionally for his bright little Wutai Turk. "Tseng, have the fire extinguisher ready again - it can get messy."

He took a deep breath and shifted, no longer actively working against _Cielo_ but not exactly passive. Instead Red _Tempesta uncoiled_, like a guardhound's lazy relaxed stretch.

"Now push again, but picture it like dropping a rock into a pond. You're giving out, not taking in. If you need to pull, do it from the materia you're holding."

Rufus grimaces, trying to maintain focus and not be distracted by all the new sensations and instructions and power. But the idea of a _mana battery_ gives him some idea of what he's doing, and at first, he finds it much easier to keep his hand on that wall and then reach out with the other to tug at the materia, drawing that power into his hand, up through his arm, and into the wall without pushing. He's a guidewire, instead, showing the power where to go. 

It's not until he feels comfortable enough with that that he finally does push, drawing on his own power and letting the rivers of it and the materia merge before flowing them towards the sear of Giacomo's _Tempesta_.

There was a sharp crack in the air as it fell into place. Tseng tried very hard to breathe according to childhood learnt Wutai meditation excercise, but his heart was not cooperating. At least nothing was burning - yet.

The bi-color spiral of red and orange had combined into one uniform shade, but they weren't done yet. 

Rufus takes a deep breath of his own, allowing himself to open his eyes again. He doesn't let himself get distracted by the flames, however; he focuses deep down, feels the flow of their energies, and moves with it instead of trying to wade against it. He finds balance there, in managing to make slight adjustments without losing his footing and going under.

"You have it now. Count to sixty, tell me if you feel like something's wrong or you're losing control. I'm going to draw on you to show you an example of what happens when _Cielo_ combines with another Flame." A pause. "This is not one of the ones I'd have chosen to repeat."

One heartbeat, two heartbeats. Five heartbeats later, G _let go_.

Rufus braces himself when Giacomo tugs on his power, drawing it away, and instead of trying to hold on like the lead of a stubborn mule, he lets Giacomo have a part of himself, increasing the tide to compensate for the draw, like a whirlpool sucking it in. 

"I... think I'm managing it," he says, grimacing. Rufus knows that the concentration part will come easier with practice, but it feels like it takes all of his considerable reserves right now to keep a colony of ants marching in a row instead of allowing them to descend into chaos. 

"You've got more control than Giotto ever managed." But Giotto probably had more raw power, to live through the shit he pulled.

G knew they barely scratched what Flames were capable of - right now his best efforts were mimicry or pushing the power into a form the user was used to and recognized -like his custom bow. While Giotto's antics were wholly reckless, they'd forced G's study of Flames and the _Cielo_ Rings where they otherwise wouldn't have gone.

"I'm not connected any more to what we just made. It will hurt me now. A few more things before we move on to Tseng's introduction. Don't worry if you can't do it, try it later with Tseng's Flames." G made it brief. "_Tempesta_ is the most destructive Flame, and you barely trust me, so it's not easy. _Pioggia_'s Affinity is Tranquility and your trust in Tseng would make it a lot easier.

"First, try to feel the cyclone we just made - direct it to disintegrate something, if you can. This is how you'd usually borrow another Flame's Affinity."

Rufus can feel the cyclone and he wonders if this is what the idiom 'lightning in a can' feels like. But how does one direct a cyclone? He thinks about weather systems and the winds involved and maybe that's the key. Maybe instead of the tide, he needs a _breeze_.

"Second, if you can't, cut yourself off and let it go. I'm going to have you try and reabsorb it, again, if it doesn't work, leave it to me. I'll need to break it down with _Tempesta_ because again, it's not a part of me anymore."

"This certainly isn't as easy as simply putting on a ring and conquering the world, that's for certain." Another breath, and as Rufus lets it out slowly, he thinks about the air currents, suffuses his magic into them, uses them to give the cyclone a gentle push. He's decided that potted plant in the corner has personally offended him. 

As the potted plant fell apart into rotten twigs and soil, then colorless dust, G had his bow out ready.

"Kiddo, try to absorb it first - if you can't, direct it out my way then detach, I'm going to shoot it out the back door where there's more room."

"Easier said than done," Rufus replies, but he gives it a try. Physically extends his hand, Rufus _demands_. Thin tendrils of energy from the cyclone wrapping around his fingers and travelling down his wrist, up his arm before dissipating. He picks it apart bit by bit, imagining it as a watercolor painting where he needs to select each hue and take it away. When the cyclone disappears, Rufus lowers his arm and breathes out a sigh.

"Your energy level should be higher after absorption - if not, let me know if you need another materia." Giacomo takes the fire extinguisher from Tseng and motions him to sit.

"It's not physically taxing. It's the concentration that's exhausting, but I assume that gets easier the more I've done it." His body and mana levels are in excellent condition. 

"That's because you're able to recharge with materia. It's not true for other Flame Users." Even Allodo had been somewhat wilted afterwards - and only finished Giotto's beating after Giotto recharged him. G had been both too tired and laughing too hard to run from the first beating.

"Let me know when you're ready, sir." Tseng was holding the pale blue _Pioggia_ ring gingerly with gloved hands, steering clear of skin contact.

"Put it on." Rufus moves to stand close to Tseng, ready to help him when things inevitably get out of control. His focus narrows down to Tseng and only Tseng. 

One glove off, Tseng obeys Rufus' command. It was decidedly different, the flicker of flame on the pale blue stone rippling to engulf Tseng's body. Not warm fire like Rufus' _Cielo_ or fierce burn like Legend's _Tempesta_ \- _Pioggia_ flowed, a chilling coolness that sharpened the senses and cleared the mind. 

Rufus isn't afraid of Tseng's power. He's always worked well with the man, a seamless team, and it will be the same now. Taking Tseng's hand in his own, Rufus channels his flame to Tseng to ease the burden on the Turk. 

"Reel it back in, Tseng," Rufus gives the order, confident and strong. He will catch Tseng if he falls. The Turk just has to trust him like Rufus trusts Tseng. 

Instinctively, Tseng reached out for Rufus' warmth when he felt the _Cielo_ Flame light. There wasn't any of the difficulty Tseng had witnessed during Rufus' lesson, and it was reflex to obey Rufus' will when he spoke in that commanding tone .

To Rufus, Tseng feels like a cool drink of water that cleansed against his skin, lingering until his command. Then it withdrew and returned to Tseng like falling rain refilling a dam. 

"Three minutes twenty six seconds." G let out an impressed whistle. Allodo had had the shortest record at 5:41, but he'd been handling two rings. Rufus' time was close, but he'd been struggling with both suspicion and disbelief. And G hadn't the leisure to time himself or Giotto. "Don't stop yet, kids - try combining both your Flames before coming apart. Tell him what to do, VP."

"Very good, Tseng," Rufus praises - Tseng's power feels just like he expected: a refreshing and invigorating balm against his soul, cool but dangerous like the Turk himself.

"Now, I'm going to share my power with you. Let it wash over you and don't fight it," Rufus says before he starts the gentle flow that he had with Giacomo, once again imagining the stream of _Cielo_ strength flowing toward his Turk. "Take it in. Make it _ours_."

The sensation of warm banked fires was foreign, but Rufus was familiar - under that deceptively gentle warmth a cold knot of refined and forged steel. Something **OPENED** when the two Flames danced together, tranquil _Pioggia_ harmonizing to _Cielo's_ lead.

"I suppose you have some tests in mind, Legend?" Tseng opened his eyes to regard the gleeful older Turk he'd once thought unreliable and a danger to the Company.

"Oh yes, here's the fun part." Texture looks good - colors fully integrated - the resultant shield was more refined than what Giotto and Ugetsu produced on the first try. Economical, too, a gray-blue sphere centering the two lovebirds.

"Trust me, _you won't feel a thing_." Raised bow and no holding back now - Legend put his full _Tempesta_ behind the five bolts that targeted on Rufus. 

To his credit, Rufus doesn't startle. Giacomo had said that the shield created by _Pioggia_ and and _Cielo_ would be strong, especially considering Tseng and Rufus' trust in each other. He trusts in it now, and also he trusts that _Tseng_ trusts him. It seems to work well in their favour, since the shield holds, bearing the weight of the _Tempesta_ onslaught easily. 

The impact sizzled like cold water on sun baked cement - and barely touched the shield, all five red _Tempesta_ bolts frozen dead and slowly dissolving into the shield.

And G wasn't done yet. Dropping the bow, he took out a shotgun - the same heavy model that Rufus favored and shot again, with a similarly spectacular failure to put a hole in Rufus Shinra. The bullet, too, was caught by the shield and held in midair before it dropped to the ground.

"Better than Barrier materia." Rufus smirks back at Giacomo, thoroughly pleased with himself. 

"Barrier can't absorb both magic _and_ kinetic energy to sustain itself. I give it at least 30 minutes under a dedicated assault by yours truly before a hole can be made - and my stamina is shit out of practice." Legend looked like Reno when the Turk had just put one over Shinra Accounting with his receipts; extremely pleased by both the results - and Tseng and Rufus' lack of reaction. "Unless you run into something more corrosive than _Tempesta_, this shield's gonna fucking hold as long as you have materia to power yourselves.

"When it was Giotto and Ugestu - it took Allodo over an hour to take it down - once he figured out ANYTHING Flame or spell based fed the shield if it couldn't punch through on the first try. Same with _physical_ blows as it's kinetic energy. And what Giotto and Ugetsu made then isn't as strong as what you've got.

"Take it down, kiddos, feel free to make your way out and experiment on your own - just let me know if either of you wanted _upgrades_ to your current firearms. It's a fairly simple mod that doesn't kick in unless you're using Flames, and makes your weapons the equivalent of my bow."

"Interesting. I'll have to get my hands on a lot more materia before we practice - but I'd like to see exactly how much damage this shield can take." An explosion, for example. Or a building dropping on them. Or whatever else life likes to throw at Rufus. _Diamond and Sapphire._

"I'd also like to ensure we can establish it quickly under stressful situations," he tells Tseng as the Turk nods back. Now that he knows he isn't using up their life force so long as energy can be drawn from materia, Rufus is willing to experiment. 

Focusing on his connection to Tseng, Rufus draws the energy back into himself like he's inhaling a fresh mountain breeze. The shield dissipates, fading before him until it's gone. Well, it's good to know he and Tseng are extremely compatible. He'll have to make sure to reward his Turk later.

"So my shotgun could be a funnel for this power? I'm guessing it would amplify the damage. That could be interesting."

"Definitely. You need to see the utter craziness Giotto used to do with _Cielo_ Flames and _with his guns_. I hope you'll enjoy learning to _fly_."

Wait, did Giacomo just say he could learn to fly? Rufus froze for a moment as he collected the suit he'd set aside. Quickly, he dresses so that he wouldn't be wandering around in just boxers now there was no more danger of clothing being burned away. 

"Flight. With my shotgun? No matter how I picture that, it's ridiculous." 

"I have _so much_ video footage of the Crazy Shit Giotto used to pull with _Cielo_." The mad grin on Legend's face reminded Tseng uncomfortably of Reno when the red headed Turk was Up to Something. "Too advanced now because Giotto has no common sense and you're probably pressed for time. We can go over them some other time.

"All yours, to do with as you will. Not much I can do for any other Flame types anyway, I'm not _Cielo_ and you'll need to decide if they're worth catching." Keeping his own _Tempesta_ ring, Giacomo hands the whole box to Rufus.

There's so much to these rings and Rufus has only just scratched the surface. It would take careful experimentation with many safeguards in place before he could hope to uncover more, even with Giacomo's willing aid. For now, this shield will do. He accepts the box, tucking it under his arm securely. 

"We can start practicing tomorrow on a regular schedule." Tseng agreed. "Legend, you said there were six of you. Giotto, Allodo, Ugetsu, Knuckle and yourself - that's only **five**."

"Ch, you've got a sharp one here, kid." Legend scowled. "You don't want to meet him, and I hope the bastard's dead. He's pure _Nebbia_ Flames - and since Allodo's gone, run if you see purple or violet Flames. I can't even tell you what the fuck he looks like now because bastard uses _Nebbia_'s Construction Affinity to make illusions that can trick even machines. Ask Veld for a Turk outside consultant file on D. Spade, Occultist."

And of course Tseng would notice. Turks are trained to find the inconsistencies and sniff out the truth. The news that comes with it, though, is somewhat distressing. There's a man that can change into anyone and gain access to Shinra tower just as easily as if he were Rufus, and they don't know where he is or what he looks like. 

"Would he have any motivation to come after us?" Rufus asks, because that's really the most important question here. Motivation would determine if the man was something they needed to worry about. 

Then again, Rufus had gone a whole decade past this without encountering any of this, so maybe the man will stay a boogeyman and nothing more. 

"No, because Giotto's dead." Giacomo says flatly. "Unless he blames anyone other than Giotto or your Father for Helena's death. I'm pretty sure he's the one who blew the whistle to your father about the 'secret Ancient powers' I supposedly discovered and was keeping from him.

"On your paternal grandmother's side - Helena di Vongola was the last scion of the old Vongola Dukedom in Costa del Sol. She was basically a _female_ Giotto and the two of them got along as well as you can imagine. Except monogamous because she's married and deeply in love with that fucker Spade.

"He hung around Giotto only for Helena's sake. And when the 'accident' happened, he just vanished after taking her body. I don't have the details, because Giotto and your father were the only ones there when she died, and Giotto got there later than Riccardo did.

"Bullet to the lungs, and she drowned in her own blood before paramedics arrived. Public story was that the President's pretty cousin got caught in the crossfire of an assassination attempt. But... Helena fits your father's type, and she's as fucking soft hearted as Giotto on a regular day. And Helena was pregnant with Spade's first kid.

"No one's seen or talked to Spade after except Allodo, and he wasn't talking either. Then Giotto got that shit ambassador posting to Wutai and me to finish up Junon Security Review right after. 

"Allodo had a huge case load on top of Helena's murder - one of his outside consultants, the ex-Director of Science before Hojo, got offed too in the same week, with both his wife and infant daughter missing, presumed kidnapped.

"And Spade... He only believed in Helena, no matter how much he fucking lies to himself about 'helping the little people'. He's like _me_ and it takes one to know one, except HIS faith was Helena and mine was Giotto.

"He messed with people's heads with his illusions, you didn't need another interrogation specialist with him around and that's why Allodo had him on retainer. I don't know what he's been doing after vanishing for 13 odd years and don't want to find out."

Rufus listens to the story of Spade and his frown only deepens. More shit that his father has been involved in? Spade sounded like a very dangerous man, potentially with a grudge against his father, but.... 

"If he hasn't shown up to claim revenge on my father in thirteen years, then I'm going to guess he doesn't suspect my father of foul play and he's not going to be a problem. Regardless.... Is there anyway to detect someone using Flames to change their appearance?" Rufus would at least like some way to check things out if he thinks someone is acting suspiciously. There's nothing he hates more than being caught unawares. 

"There is, but I don't know how much of it is helpful." G gave up on moderation and lit that fourth cigarette. "_Tempesta_ can distintegrate _Nebbia_ made constructs, but I wouldn't know it until I hit it. Giotto was always able to tell, and it drove Spade nuts that he can just take one look and decide what to use for _Cielo_ fuel.

"I asked Giotto once and he just looked _confused_ that the rest of us couldn't. The only thing vaguely useful I got out of him was that it's clearer to see when his Flames are lit. Allodo usually just plowed through whatever Spade setup. Same with Knuckle.

"Ugetsu can _slow_ the constructs from forming, but if they're already made, unless they didn't fit because Spade messed up like put a gogo dancer in a Director's boardroom meeting, his **Kannushi** mystic shit didn't help much either."

"It's certainly not very encouraging that it seems like my best shot is to simply hope I've got the same Intuition that Uncle Giotto did," Rufus says, tone dour. "It sounds like there's no real way to test it out without another _Nebbia_ user around." 

At the odd sound from Tseng's direction, Rufus turns his head. Tseng had been about to breathe a sigh of relief at the surprisingly intact state of his suit- thinking the difference lay in the watery nature of _Pioggia_ \- until he stood, and it came apart in pieces. 

"Sorry, kid." Legend snickered, not sounding sorry at all. "While _Tempesta_ and _Cielo_ are the only ones that _actually burn_ and burn up clothing, all the other Flames do something weird with molecules - stresses them so that until you've got the control to keep most of it under your skin, you're going to run through quite a bit of your wardrobe for a while."

"It looks like you've been abusing the paper shredder." Rufus puts his hand over his mouth in what hopefully looks like a thoughtful gesture. In reality, he's trying very hard not to outright laugh at Tseng. It's a glorious sight and Rufus absolutely will appreciate it while he can. 

Tseng only arched an elegant eyebrow at Rufus and strategically misplaced some pieces as he prepared to dress in his borrowed suit.

"There must be _something_. A power like that can't be completely undetectable." Not taking the bait, Rufus turns back to press Giacomo. Even if he had to make physical contact to verify, he'd at least have the option. Since they didn't have anybody else to test those powers with, it's not exactly like they can practice. 

"... Wait, you just reminded me of something." Giacomo put a hand up to Rufus. "Allodo did this trick once - but - nevermind, doesn't apply. Getting info out of him when he didn't feel like talking was like pulling teeth. _Your own teeth_ at that because he can be bribed with sparring practice.

"He stacked _Nuvola_'s Propagation on the lesser _Nebbia_ he had to _overwrite_ the environment when Spade was playing - and used the interaction between the two different _Nebbia_ Flames to tell what was Spade's shit. But dual Affinities aren't common, Allodo was the only one amongst us and getting that combination again is probably like finding a Gold Chocobo in the wild."

"Everything you've told us about Spade makes me think he's playing the long game." Tseng said quietly, having finished dressing in the borrowed suit from Allodo Shinra's wardrobe. "And if Helena di Vongola was as close to Giotto Shinra as you say - was she a Flame user like you, since Spade was, and he wasn't as close?"

"... Yes, she was." G sighed. Kid was too sharp and asked all the hard questions. "She would have been the seventh - Knuckle was teaching her _Sereno_ before she died."

"We don't have enough resources to investigate Spade deeply." Rufus decides. There's too many other things Rufus needs to do in the much more immediate future than some nebulous what-if. He straightens the lines of his new suit, surprised that it fits so well. Rufus approves of the color, of course. "The first line of business is still to kill my father. Spade can wait a little longer if he's already been biding his time for thirteen years." 

"That's part of the reason I'm still here. Your Father and I both make good bait for Spade." Well, that, and the memories. G thought it would take him another six months at most to finish converting all the analog video footage to digital.

"You've been keeping an eye out for Spade? I suppose that does explain all the cameras." _That's the thing,_ Rufus thinks - whatever plan Spade had, _what is he waiting for?_ Both people he hates are in Midgar and he could have come after them at any time, so maybe he really _is_ dead. Or has let his grudge go (though that seems unlikely, given Giacomo's description of him). 

"Spade can't mimic what he doesn't know - but he's very good at it when he's got you figured out." G chewed on the end of his fourth cigarette. "One of the people he enjoyed harassing the most was Allodo because Allodo fucking hated invasion of his personal space. I think the ONLY people I've ever seen him accept PDAs from were your grandfather, Giotto and Helena. 

"He likes to pretend he couldn't care less about the rest of us and is only tolerating us because he couldn't make us leave. And Spade pushed those buttons. All he needed to do to get a fight out of Allodo was to sneak in under cover with Nebbia and then _breathe in his hair_.

"He stopped doing that in Turk HQ after Allodo started billing him for damages, but, eh, elsewhere was fair game. There's some passive defenses Allodo made me work out, but without a _Cielo_ to power it, and you're not there yet - they're just dead gear. I'll need to look at my old notes and book some time to work with you when you're ready."

"So if I train more with my power, I may be able to access some of those defenses you designed," Rufus summed it up. "I'll train as much as I can on my own time. It's a bit out-of-the-way for me to come here on a regular basis when I have so much I need to attend to at headquarters." 

Rufus taps at his chin and narrows his eyes while he thinks. He could make a training regimen that coincided with his combat training. It wouldn't be too difficult to incorporate the two, since it would be good to know how to use his powers to defend himself. He'll talk to Tseng about that later. 

"I can always try to give fucking Riccardo heart attacks by actually _working._" G points out. "I know where the blind spots in HQ are and can meet you there. Reno and some of the other younger Turks have been badgering Veld to have me do lectures on explosives for ages. You can even sit in if you want.

"Great excuse if you wanted a second opinion or me to scope for possible Flame Users."

"I should be so lucky that he'd have a heart attack," Rufus said with an eyeroll. _As if_, though it's nice to dream about. Especially if Rufus could watch the panic on his face as he slipped away. "On-site meetings would certainly be more convenient. And yes, _please_ teach Reno everything you know about explosives." 

If this is where Reno gets his knowledge about things that go boom, Rufus is quite willing to encourage it. 

"You'd think he would, with that figure. Walls of cholesterol clogging blood vessels... " Legend, Tseng decided, was definitely related to Reno with the same brand of Turk humor. 

"I've also got a little something to put you in a good spot with Riccardo. I ... originally wanted to bomb the entire city to get to him and drew up plans for it. Since I knew all the structural supports and weaknesses, the security - EVERYTHING.

"Give it to your father when you want his temporary goodwill." G tugs out the roll of blueprints from the wall safe. "I'm not going to do it. I think that's why Giotto was there to stop me when I almost did, three years ago."

Tseng drew in his breath sharply. Those plans looked too familiar in the memory of a ghost. Both the plans for AVALANCHE to bomb the reactors and the one that took down Sector Seven's support pillar had been only part of a _systematic, calculated chain reaction bombing_ that would have collapsed all of Midgar more efficiently than Meteor did.

And if Tseng read the triggers on the blueprints correctly - Legend hadn't intended to survive Midgar Pyre, placing himself in the middle to set the initial chain off with _Tempesta_ arrow showers.

Rufus takes the blueprints and splays them over the kitchen table, looking them over. He recognizes these plans, and he can tell by Tseng's reaction that the man does, as well, likely due to the information from his older self's memories. 

"This would certainly do the trick," Rufus nods, seemingly unbothered by Giacomo's plans. Of course, if the man did change his mind and try to blow up his city, Rufus would **end** him, best friend of Giotto Shinra or not. "So _this_ is why my father hasn't tried to wipe you off the face of the planet. Do you have something in place to detonate them in the event of your death?" 

"Not anymore." G shrugged to Rufus' question. Giotto had been very insistent about that. "I've made Riccardo think I still do, of course. But the thing is, a lot of these places don't need to have fail-safes for something like this."

To Tseng's horror, he circles only **five** places on the blueprints.

"Those five are the structural keystones for all of Midgar. If even one goes, _at least one whole Plate goes down with it_." He then numbers them. Sector 7 was numbered fifth. "This is the destruction sequence that would kick off the chain reaction. I had stuff there locked with _Tempesta_ in a can as dead man switches - tied to a pacemaker so that if my heartbeat stopped they'd break loose. Flame-bombs can be ten times smaller than conventional explosives that do the same damage - if you learn to compress them down enough. That's why Riccardo never found them.

"I know that look on your eyes, Kiddo - that's the same look Allodo gets when he decides something's _his_ and Goddess help anyone in between him and his goal. Midgar's _your_ City, so I figured you'd want to know how to defend it.

"Somebody persistent enough could do it without Flames, _Tempesta_ just makes it easier and reduces the logistics of how much is needed and the chance of discovery. I was ... fucking pissed when I got back from Junon, and Riccardo hasn't even bothered to put together a retrieval team for Giotto - so I took the Midgar Security Survey I finished and decided to work at it the other way around. You want the one for Junon too, Kiddo?"

"I'm aware of the plate supports. I'll address the issue. And yes, I'll need the one for Junon, as well." Rufus watches the map as Giacomo circles the spots. Yes, he knew about those. After all, Shinra had dropped the plate on Sector 7 using one of those keystones. It was a dangerous design flaw, perhaps he should have a talk with Reeve about it. The man was in charge of urban development, after all. Some extra support fail-safes could come in handy in case some terrorist group - and definitely not Shinra - tries to destroy it. 

Giacomo certainly has Rufus pegged regarding his possessiveness over Midgar. No one touches it without his permission. Not even his father. The old bastard has had his grubby hands on it for long enough. 

"You've given us a lot to think about. Do we need to -" Tseng took the second set of blueprints Giacomo had rolled up. 

"Oh, right." G took out his PHS, a custom model probably modded by the man himself. There was two buzzes as Rufus and Tseng received his contact text. "I chat with Reeve every once a while too - he thinks I'm just a harmless hacker interested in programming and building eccentric gadgets. Bright kid but his heart's going to be broken on projects Riccardo never would authorize the funds for."

"One of them doesn't happen to be a robotic cat, does it?" Rufus narrow his eyes at the mention of eccentric gadgets for Reeve.

"Oh, you mean Cait Sith? I helped a bit with algorithm debug and some balance issues in mobility, why're you asking?"

"That's the one," Rufus says. That stupid robot had served uses, but was also annoying as all hell. "So you designed it?" He'd always thought it was Reeve. It seemed the sort of stupid aesthetic the man would come up with. 

"Nah, it's all Reeve. I just did troubleshooting and helped him work out some kinks. Also added to the fortune-telling database with all the street and Wutai jokes and fortunes I know."

"Hmm. At first I thought you'd saved my opinion of you from the trash bin, but then you had to go and admit you're responsible for those jokes." Rufus sighs.

"I'm only willing to accept a quarter of the responsibility - Reeve fed the pussycat all the rest. I'll ping you when Veld gives me a class schedule." G fiddles with his PHS some more and then looks at Rufus, frowning. "Oh, **fuck**."

"What appears to be the problem?" Tseng asked. That was definitely a variation of Reno's 'oh **SHIT**' look.

"Kid, two more pieces of advice. _One, don't pull on mako unless you have no other choice. _

"Second, I shouldn't be feeling this mellow. I think the little exercise we did helped me more than it did you in terms of mental equilibrium." G stares at Rufus speculatively. _So did Giotto know...? _ Probably not, because if it was on purpose he wouldn't be still missing that Fucking Stupid Idiot so much. 

"This is a guess, but I think Flame Users are affected by their Affinity - and I was completely out of whack with losing Giotto and manipulating _Tempesta_ without him to balance me. I haven't felt this mellow in _years_. Wonder what Ugetsu and Knuckle are like now, but their Flames aren't so... extreme. Spade _might_ even have an excuse to be psycho."

_Well, that's a bit of an interesting development. _

"I suppose if you're ever in need of some therapy, send me a message." Rufus doesn't mind helping Giacomo keep a level head if he's able. The man's abilities would make him a dangerous foe should he ever decided to to back to planting bombs. 

And Rufus also plans to stay away from the Lifestream as much as possible, considering Tseng's postulation that he might be prone to the same auditory hallucinations as SOLDIERs. 

"Same, call me up anytime until you've decided to find another _Tempesta_ user." G showed them to the door. "Want me to call you a taxi?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rufus is _Cielo_ \- who saw that one coming? Comment to show raised hands!
> 
> And forgot to add the second instance of KHR Primo Gen Overwriting another VII Compilation minor Character: Knuckle has completely replaced Zangan.
> 
> For those of you coming from the KHR side of the fandom:
> 
> 1\. Biggest difference between Legend and G: VII's Legend is an acknowledged _womanizer_. But since G replaced and overwrote Legend, he's Flaming Gay - and almost exclusively monogamous with Giotto, who isn't.
> 
> 2\. Zangan was Tifa Lockheart's teacher, master of Zangan-style martial arts and had 500 students all over Gaia. He also helped rescue the survivors post Nibelheim and took off with a wounded Tifa - so SHE was never part of Hojo's specimen collection at Nibelheim, unlike Cloud, Zack & the Sephiroth Clones sourced from Niebelheim survivors. In this fusion Xover, Knuckle has replaced Zangan - while not a Turk, "Knuckle" is his Turk code name since Allodo had him on retainer as a martial arts instructor. I've also made Zangan the "title" for the Master of Zangan-style martial arts - sorry Knuckle, I haven't thought what your _actual_ Wutai name would be yet.
> 
> 3\. Elena's name change is to avoid confusion. In VII there is another Elena who is a Turk. [Both Elena/Helena originate etymologically from the Greek Helen/Helene](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elena_\(given_name\)). There's Chinese Primo fanon that a) Giotto's surname comes from his mother and the Vongola name was originally an European Dukedom; b) Elena = female!Giotto - so here she's Helena di Vongola, last scion of Casa Vongola and Giotto's cousin from his mother's side. Spade is _actually nicer than canon_ this 'Verse because I married him to Elena and they have _twins_. Yes, I fucking made Spade Mukuro & Chrome's Father. 
> 
> 4\. On Giotto and Allodo: Yep, both dead. And they're not in the Rings because Lifestream.
> 
> 5\. Ugetsu hasn't replaced anyone in VII canon. He is, however, a _Retired_ Sword Saint in Wutai.
> 
> For those of you coming from the VII side of the fandom:
> 
> 1\. G is a BAMF BATTLE BUTLER to Giotto in KHR canon, as his right hand man. He's also _extremely_ secure in his masculinity. If you had a problem with his sexuality, it's fucking YOUR problem, not his. Scarlet also tried to fuck him for Job Security and he embarrassed her Very Publicly. The hate between them is _mutual_ since G went Outdoor Voice saying shit like "Sorry, I'm too Gay for plastic boobs." and "Maybe if you'd put the mammoplasty towards a strap on, because I only take cock."
> 
> 2\. Knuckle was a boxer then a Catholic priest (?!) before he became Giotto's Sun Guardian. Here I've translated it to being martial artist/monk instead of boxer and priest - and _Sereno_ Flames can HEAL wounds by invigorating the body's cells, much like Cure spells can. This does make canon Tifa's survival sans Shinra medical treatment, and civilian survivors after Sephiroth torched Nibelheim more plausible. I've also Overwritten Zangan, making 'Zangan' the TITLE to the master of Zangan-style martial arts, and 'Knuckle' his Turk Code name - while not a Turk, Allodo had him teach quite a few of the Old Guard's martial artists. He also taught Giotto hand-to-hand. 
> 
> 3\. Elena was a good friend of Giotto's who'd supported their vigilante-militia-turned-mafioso work. Her death sets off the divide Daemon Spade had with Giotto and the rest of the Vongola Familia Primo Gen. Here her name is changed to Helena di Vongola to avoid confusion with VII's Turk Elena. Spade in this 'Verse is her fiancee then husband. As she is related to Giotto through his mother (Helena's father was brother to Grandma Shinra), she's Riccardo and Giotto's maternal cousin. Which makes Helena _Rufus'_ cousin, one generation above - an Aunt. And makes _Spade_ Rufus' Uncle by marriage.
> 
> 4\. It's KHR CANON how Flame/Affinities are both genetic inheritance and _personality_ based - _Cielo_ is typically **leaders**. And that Flames are manifestations of your life force. The Mad Scientist Tech in KHR canon actually make use of the Flame Combinations for some … Interesting Shit. G's barely scratching the surface here. And there's Unfortuneate Implications for Cielo Users being able to absorb mako/materia. /evil laughter
> 
> 5\. Ugetsu Asari was Giotto's Rain Guardian and another of his best friends. If there's a Loyalty Gradient for Guardians to the _Cielo_, it probably runs _Tempesta, Pioggia, Sereno, Fulmine, Nuvola, Nebbia_. As in "Most likely to LISTEN and OBEY orders" to "FUCK it, Doin' My Own Thing". Here I've made him a Sword Saint of Wutai (even his NAME thematically fits with Wutai's Moon Motif), and he's not actively participating in the Wutai War due to Plot Reasons. Ugetsu will be Tseng's teacher in _Pioggia_ once they hit Wutai on the Felicia-retrieval mission.


	4. Interlude: The Founding of the Turks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Fangirl's Scrapbook VS Anecdotes on Fraternal Correspondence.
> 
> Due to the fusion headcanon with Katekyo! Hitman Reborn, CRACK abounds. SEE WARNING TAGS.

The first part of Windy Strife's self-described Fangirl scrapbook was indeed, mostly about the career of one Commissioner Allodo Shinra and the man's _obsessive_ attempt at bringing a singular Lawful Order to the world, whether the world wanted it or not. Reading between the lines of the articles that screamed headlines like "**Costa del Sol human trafficking ring exposed!**" or "**Endangered Phoenix Smuggling Crackdown by Turks at Fort Condor**" - the man's startup method was _racketeering_, but one that _worked_ because there was no central, unified Continental governing power - only City-states as the largest populated forms of government.

People **stopped** paying taxes because if they were going to be fleeced, they'd rather the money went to the collectors that kept roads clear of monster attacks, and _ordinary folks_ from being robbed, raped, killed or worse. Allodo's Turks had held to his promise and _delivered_, even if sometimes the only closure they could give a grieving family was Truth and Vigilante Justice.

**"Commissioner Publically Executes Kalm Serial Killer"**, that headline read, with a smaller subtitle: _"Families at Scene Grateful to take part"_.

And Allodo _didn't _ want to rule, that much was evident once an area came under Turk protection. The idea of it made Rufus' head **hurt** \- that it was even _possible_ to conquer for the long-term without ruling.

Once Allodo Shinra had the People on his side, he _strong-armed_ the local government into recognizing Turk Authority, enforced cooperation with local law enforcement - and _stopped_ taking the protection money. 

**"Mideel Governor welcomes Turk Presence"** and **"Commissioner orders Security Reassessment after Mass Costa del Sol Prison break"**

Instead, the recognition of Turk Authority _included_ a portion of the government budget being allocated to _paying the Turks._

**"Midgar Public Safety establishes Turk Consultation Budget"**

The man was either brilliant, mad, or **both** \- and attracted a large following of both the idealistic and the educated intellectuals into the Turks' ranks. Windy Strife had not been kidding when she described the Turks' original founding and purpose as an "Intercontinental Police Agency Independent of all Government Authority". There were times a local government was so corrupt, the Turks _then_ didn't even bother to negotiate.

**"Wutai Jusanso Harbour liberated, Emperor's Harbourmaster arrested in Drug Cartel Bust"**

They just **overthrew** the government, then installed locals who either _genuinely_ wanted to set things right - or were _cowed_ into it - the end result was the same. _The Job got Done. _

**"Turks support Fort Condor new General Assembly Election"**

The term _"personality cult"_ crossed Tseng's mind often when reading the various dated and browned news clippings with Rufus, and he was beginning to understand _why_ there were so many similarities to Turk Code and training with that of a Wutai _Daimyo_ Clan or Martial Style School's teachings and philosophies. Allodo Shinra had been _Wutai-trained_. After blatantly disregarding Wutai's Sakoku ban on foreigners, the warrior culture recognized and _respected_ the eldest Shinra brother's strength - granting him entry (Tseng strongly suspected No One Sane wanted to face Allodo Shinra in Single Combat). And the Moon Clans made exception to accept Allodo Shinra into enrollment at the Academy of Leviathan's Gate, where he graduated after four years of study - as the first _Leviathan's Justice_ in living memory. The last Leviathan's Gate alumini to have received the honorable epithet was over fifty years ago. 

The actions Allodo took in Wutai, both in school and out; were not _unlike_ that of one _Daimyo_ Great Name warring to take another's Territory - usually under the excuse of bringing Enlightened and Righteous Rule to the defending party's commoner subjects. Except Allodo _hadn't_ demanded land or right to rule. What the founder of the Turks asked for, and received - were _FULL TRAVEL RIGHTS_ and the right to pass Judgement and Justice. 

**"Wutai Warlord Dictator Overthrown!" ** one sensationalist headline exclaimed, followed by _"Emperor Godo grants Turks Right of Passage in Wutai"_ and **"Wutai Villages Clamor for Turk Justice"**. 

Some of it _had_ to be propaganda whitewashing actual events, but it was also _abundantly_ clear Allodo Shinra cared very little about public opinion. The single photo that caught the man closest to smiling was at a Shinra Charity event where the photographer managed to capture all the Shinra men in one photo, and Allodo had not been looking at the camera then. When the news photos did capture Allodo Shinra's attention and _fierce_ energy, the man was invariably scowling, at best indifferent, with multiple accompanying reports of the Commissioner taking physical objection to being caught on camera. 

With such extremes, the papers either **hated** or _loved_ the man, there _was_ no in between. Unlike Shinra's currently controlled and cultivated Press Releases, **negative** journalistic reporting were prolific; worried that the Turks were growing too powerful, too quickly, suggesting _conspiracy_ until Allodo Shinra's answer surprised them all. 

When the inevitable rot hit the Turks, the Commissioner proved to be just as ruthless in stamping out _internal_ corruption as he had been to outside ones. He even allowed the papers to have access to firsthand eyewitness reports - as long as they got the fuck out of the way of his investigations. 

**"Commissioner Orders Full Internal Turk Audit", "Journalists Arrested for Obstruction of Justice, Turk Surprise Raid Fails", "Former Turk Officers executed for Grand Larceny, Assets seized to establish Trust Fund for Victims".**

The World at Large became resigned, eventually, to the Commissioner who gave no quarter delivering Justice as he saw fit, rooting out unlawful activity because they _offended_ his moral code and lawful sensitivities. The Common People were happy, because they figured out that as long as they governed themselves without excess and _didn't_ require Turk aid - the Turks left them _alone_ to live as they pleased. 

Which were how the state of affairs stood, quiet enough for both the papers and _tabloids_ to also figure out that Allodo Shinra didn't give a shit about _speculative reporting_ as long as they didn't print outright lies. That was when the Commissioner's attention was turned back to _family_ \- due to a series of focused and dedicated Industrial Espionage that almost cost Shinra Electric Power Company its monopoly on mako energy. 

============================

Before speaking with Windy Strife, Rufus had never imagined there was this much to the Shinra family and their contacts. It seemed President Shinra had been particularly diligent in keeping his legitimate heir on an information diet.

"Somehow, that _man_ is the black sheep of the Shinra Clan. How that _idiot_ ever ended up with the Company is a stroke of dumb luck." Had Rufus' own name been an offering to obtain the inheritance and Presidency? He was going to put that luck to an end.

"Because your grandfather loved all of his sons, and your father was the only one who both _wanted_ and _needed_ the Company." The elder Tseng had almost eighteen years to consider the information, once Giotto Shinra's friends and Wutai allies made contact with neo Shinra. "The Commissioner was only interested in _his_ Turks. Giotto Shinra made friends in the unlikeliest of places - and could make a killing as a professional gambler or consultant if he chose. He somehow managed to ban himself from all formal and legal gambling establishments because those as skilled as he is hadn't his luck."

"It would have been incredibly interesting to have met and known my namesake." Rufus thinks about his unknown family - he suspects he would have liked Allodo Shinra a lot. They sounded like they had very similar ideals. Although Rufus hasn't met the man, and never will - he feels respect.

"Your grandfather was by all accounts a hardworking man who was kind to those who worked for him - with incredible generosity of spirit." Windy pulled out a file entitled only 'Shinra'. "Who also remembers he is a Father. He was … everything your father wasn't. I spoke with some of the older village women who had worked in the mansion while it was lived in. The transcripts I made are in here. He would always come home to dinner, unless there was some crisis involving lives at the Nibel Reactor or other work sites. He _willingly_ spent time with his family; tucked the Commissioner to bed, played and told bedtime stories before he finally married your grandmother: Adele di Vongola.

"After the marriage - it wasn't a love match, but he felt strongly that the Commissioner needed a mother figure. When that didn't happen, he still tried - and if there was no love for his wife, he respected her and kept faith to his marriage vows. When your father was born, he repeated the same pattern he did with the Commissioner. Same when Giotto Shinra was born.

"And the Commissioner - he apparently left Nibelheim to found the Turks at age sixteen, due to a falling out with your grandmother. She mostly ignored him, he in turn had very little to do with her - but Giotto loved him. Your grandmother caught him hauling a seven year old Giotto Shinra back to the mansion, after one of his solitary training runs in Nibel Mountains. She told him to get out and never come back, that he was _trying_ to kill his brothers and become the only Shinra Heir. So he left."

Rufus can't help but wonder how different things would have been, if he'd grown up with Allodo Shinra - or the elder Rufus Shinra instead of Riccardo Shinra. He can't ever imagine having bedtime stories read to him, or dinner with family that's not forced for public image, or having a _paternal_ figure that didn't see him as a nuisance - or as a tool. Instead, Rufus had beatings when he'd misbehaved, or not learnt something _quick_ enough, and a constant sense of being a _disappointment_. He'd had Turks for bodyguards, tutors, and nannies - but no _real_ father figure. He hadn't even interacted with children his age, which is why he has no idea how to deal with children now, or with friendship.

It was also that lack of friends and the constant pressure to be the _best_ that warped Rufus to the hateful, rebellious teen with only world domination and murder on his mind. Not that the world domination and murder had gone away _now_, but it's been tempered into less destructive urges over the years.

"Then it's a good thing he left - or I wouldn't have my Turks. I owe him for that, if nothing else." What would Rufus do, without his Turks? He'd probably have _started_ something similar on his own, but it would have taken precious time to establish with the chance of Riccardo Shinra finding out. "I'll have to have a read of those interview transcripts. I'm sure there's some interesting things in there about my family. It's somehow like learning I had a fully functional set of _wings_, but my father had it removed at birth. It would have been so _useful_." 

"The only reason the Commissioner _connected_ the Turks to the Company was due to industrial espionage." Windy said, brushing off the dust on more news clippings in the Shinra folder. "He was _adamant_ about the Turks having an impartial stance as an independent entity to political governing bodies. So if that had not happened, the Turks might have stayed separate from Shinra Electric Power Company entirely. 

"Timeline wise, it was just after your grandfather retired, and turned everything over to your father, when Shinra almost _lost_ the monopoly on mako power and engineering." 

_Interesting_. So if the Turks hadn't been formed and _hadn't_ been connected to Shinra to stop the espionage, then Mako Power might have been exploited by _multiple_ companies, which would have made it that much more difficult to _stop_ its use. 

============================

Rufus Shinra had never let his life be governed by fear. If it took the form of a _person_, he chooses to **find** that person and crush them utterly. Which was what he was preparing to do now for his father.

"Ifrit's balls, I _wish_ Allodo could have seen you. He was the same way." Giacomo's comment was fond and nostalgic.

"Then he should have made sure to live longer." Or bothered to come in person. Giotto Shinra had been stopped by guilt and Riccardo Shinra's unfounded accusations. No such fiction could have barred the founder of the Turks.

"He wasn't the kind to die of old age. Giotto's theory was that he had a fucking death wish in finding something he _can't_ beat and die from it with his carnivore Law of the Jungle philosophy."

"Carnivores _secure_ their legacy and their pack before they go off to die."

"He got his pack - the Turks - started by _accident_." G was laughing so hard, he was in tears and stitches. "I don't know how Giotto managed it, but they _corresponded_ after Allodo left Shinra Mansion. He bitched _so much_ in his letters to Giotto about fucking herbivores crowding him and _not leaving him alone_ until he found _something constructive_ for them to do. THAT'S how the Turks _really_ got founded."

"I would hardily call the Turks now _herbivores_. Though, they do respond well to orders. At the very least, they're _omnivores_."

"Yeah, they kinda grew on him. Giotto was the one who suggested organizing the Turks. I believe he was _nine_ when he wrote Allodo about _Robin of Loxley and his Merry Band_."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> … this is pretty much KHR Chinese fanon how Alaude got started with CEDEF too. (And Hibari's Namimori Disciplinary Committee!) :D
> 
> In summary: Allodo was a well-adjusted (Thanks to Grandpa Shinra) lone-wolf _sociopath_ who just wanted the right to travel wherever the Hel he pleased, and to _correct_ the world according to his personal moral code when it offended him. In doing so, he ended up with a **Personality Cult** and couldn't figure out how to get _rid_ of them - so he **organized** vigilantism into the Turks instead. 
> 
> This inadvertently opened the way for Shinra Electric Power Company to World Domination when the Turks became affiliated as the Department of Administrative Research. 
> 
> (Also, that FIRST article about Human Trafficking WITHOUT mention of the Turks? I have headcanon that [ 16!Allodo](https://www.pixiv.net/en/artworks/23881904) was too Pretty for His own Good like [ 16!Rufus](https://www.pixiv.net/en/artworks/44693656) was, so when he was on his way hitchhiking from Nibelheim to Costa del Sol Allodo got picked up by a _Transportation Convoy_. He didn't feel like finding another ride, so Allodo withstood the crowding _herbivores_ until they arrived, then started busting heads and taking names. And ended up with a whole SHIPMENT of Human Trafficking victims-admirers that he tried Very Hard to OFFLOAD back where they came from but didn't succeed. /Facepalm)
> 
> In this fusion headcanon, the Wutai War started much _earlier_ than 1992, when the PR Campaign started starring Sephiroth as Hero of Wutai. 
> 
> (Also fucking Square. CANON VII Compilation age range for Seph in 1992 is **eleven to fifteen**, based on the Compilation timeline that Lucrecia was pregnant 25-30 years before Original Game (~1977-1982). This is why I ALWAYS age my Seph up to the maximum _fifteen_.) 
> 
> Allodo wasn't exactly inactive when stuck on the wrong side of the water when Wutai War started circa **1988** in this 'Verse, doing YES OF COURSE ALLODO WOULD GO AND PULL THIS SORT OF SHIT BECAUSE NOBODY COULD FUCKING STOP HIM. It's very Obvious Who DID stop him in the end. /Facepalm
> 
> For Giotto's "Robin of Loxley" reference - since KoTR exists, there's some equivalent of the Arthurian Legend on Gaia so I felt safe also throwing him in. :D


	5. Ring of Fire: Nebbia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Talent runs in the Family. 
> 
> Lazard has a SURREALLY Bad Day. 
> 
> Rufus gets a glimpse of the Craziness of his Uncles' and their Friends in action.

** Lazard, Director of SOLDIER**

When Rufus woke, it was in a sluggish mind-fog, body pleasantly sore and limbs heavy. It feels like great effort to just lift his head to figure out his situation, but at least he knew he was in his own bed. Rufus isn't sure when he passed out last night. From what he remembered last, he had been in the middle of some very good sensations, Tseng's lithe, muscled body bracing him from the back - as Rufus savored his second blowjob of the night from his new pet. 

"Tseng?" He calls, voice rough around the edges.

"I've taken the liberty of ordering room service again, as our guest finished the remainder of last night's repast." Tseng responds to his voice promptly, already crisply dressed in the borrowed suit from Allodo Shinra's wardrobe - it was still stylish, if a little conservative in its decade old cut. He leans down to kiss Rufus' brow. "Need a bit of limbering up, sir?"

"If you do that, I'll fall back asleep. Our guest?" Rufus shakes his head lazily, rolling the crick out of his neck and accepting the kiss as his due. He doubts his new pet was still here, but he wanted to make sure nothing untoward happened overnight. "What time is it?"

"He left early. Said that he wanted to check his rooms first and impose no more than necessary." Tseng wheels the food cart into sight, laden with coffee and the usual condiments for Rufus. "I've already made sure your calendar is clear this morning, but it is five to nine A.M. The first meeting is with the President at noon. Coffee, Sir?"

"All of the coffee. Literally." Rufus groans and resists the urge to bury his face back into his pillow. Nine is entirely too late for him to sleep in, so he gives up and forces himself to sit up. 

"There's french toast and fruit." Tseng coaxes as he sets the tray up for Rufus. "I made sure it's the fluffy kind."

"Is this a treat, or are you trying to fatten me up?" Rufus swings his legs over the edge of the bed and eyes the spread in front of him. He approves, if the loud rumbling of his stomach is any indication. But then again, there was that look Tseng gave him last night over the half eaten salad he'd discarded in favor of _gratifying_ sex. 

"My alternate put it in his notes for me. And I agree with his assessment, sir." Tseng pours Rufus and himself coffee. "You _may_ have psychological trauma for eating, but your body is still a healthy eighteen year old male's. I won't have you neglecting your body due to a mental handicap."

"Are you telling me that the older you _snitched_ on me?" Rufus asks incredulously. He's not sure if he should be laughing or be feeling betrayed.

"What exactly do you consider of most importance, in a _cheatsheet_ I were to write to myself, sir?" Tseng raised an eyebrow, elegant and astonishingly like that snitch of an older Tseng Rufus Shinra knew. 

"Keep sweet-talking me like that, and _maybe_ I'll actually finish my meal." Rufus snorts, snarking at Tseng as he picks up his coffee to sip. He carves off a piece of the French toast and pops it into his mouth. It was, as Tseng said, fluffy and just the way Rufus likes it.

"_Someone_ needs to be responsible for your general well-being, sir." Tseng sasses right back, sipping companionably on his own coffee. "Since you refuse to take responsibility, obviously there is a duty to pick up the slack."

"It's not as if I'm going to grow any taller." Rufus points out. He does keep eating, though. As much as he liked his independence, he knew Tseng was right. He can't expect to keep up in both physical Turk combat and Flame training while underfeeding himself. 

"Muscle and bone density. There's some things you can't turn back time to build." Tseng's voice turn - not gentle, but softer. "We don't know what the demands the Flames will require, even if you have the most versatile and advantageous Affinity. There's _always a price_, sir - and I don't want to find out it was something as simple as _nutrition_."

"Come bribe me with a kiss." Rufus demands, not wanting to admit the small warmth inside that _Tseng_ worried so much about him.

And Tseng does.

After a warm shower (sneaking in some painkillers out of Tseng's sight) to make sure there was absolutely no hint of a limp in his steps, and fortified with coffee and breakfast, Rufus braves the world outside his rooms. Next was a short trip down to pick up Dark Nation, who was well fed and groomed by her new personal animal handler, as part of his Turk Trainee duties. The main order of business today is Lazard. Heading straight to the SOLDIER Director Floor, Rufus doesn't bother knocking. He lets himself in, leader of the pack with Dark Nation and his Turk in tow. 

"Hello, _brother_," Rufus greets Lazard, the first indication and acknowledgement of their relationship. "We have some things to discuss."

Lazard stares at Rufus, interrupted in his morning's work. He'd been about to politely tell off the over privileged brat of a half brother off using office language. But the sudden _acknowledgement_ throws him off balance.

"Close the door then, _Vice President,_ you know how office gossip _are_," He reflexively pushes his glasses upwards. "And how sharp SOLDIER senses are. _If_ we're to discuss _Family_ matters."

_What did Rufus want now? _

Rufus snaps his fingers at Dark Nation, and she noses the door shut at his command. Then she plants herself firmly in front of the door to prevent possibility of escape. Tseng follows to stand behind Rufus as he sits in the chair opposite of Lazard's desk, making himself comfortable, crossing one leg over the other in his usual posture.

"Is there anything you'd like to tell me about your extracurricular activities while I've been off, supposedly having a grand time?" Rufus asks, wearing a deceptively innocent smile.

"You have no proof." He'd wondered how long it would take Rufus to catch on. But Lazard was confident he'd covered all the bases. "I've always submitted the proper documentation to working in the field - and only when required. All of my trips out of the office are on official SOLDIER business. And the President would not appreciate you interfering with another department - especially SOLDIER."

"Oh?" Rufus pulls a flash drive out of a coat pocket, leaning forward and slides it across the desk to Lazard.

Lazard looks at the flash drive. There was something _else_ in that pocket that also caught his attention. But there was no room for distractions now.

"I'm assuming this is not a prank or a virus, Rufus." With a nonchalance he did not actually feel, Lazard plugged in the flash drive to his console. "If it is, I'll have to report you for disruptive behaviour."

"My patience for you is already on a short leash, Lazard." Rufus rolls his eyes. His tone was mostly casual, but there's an undercurrent of warning that makes Dark Nation growl in anticipation. "Don't make it worse."

Tseng frowns. There was something different from Deusericus. The Turk isn't sure what, only that it was a niggling sense of _recognition_ at the back of his mind. It _reminds_ him of another awareness, something he should have known, but Tseng couldn't for the life of him remember the connection.

"I assume you have copies." Lazard says finally, after reviewing the contents and glances over at Rufus' pet Turk. "So is your pet Turk here to perform the exit interview, or do I have something that buys me a stay of sentence?"

He couldn't help casting another look at Rufus' pocket, taking his eye off Tseng.

"I want the support of SOLDIER when I take over the Company." Rufus states simply. "Make no mistake: I'll be _rid_ of you if I have to, but I'm aware of your usefulness - provided you can keep your duplicity at bay."

"I can't give you that, Rufus." Lazard says, perhaps the first honest words he'd spoken this morning." I _don't_ have the authority the other Board Directors do. I _pass_ on the orders as a glorified Paper Pusher, and use my discretion when those orders are not … executable as is. I _can_ forge orders, but I won't do it if it gets my SOLDIERs killed.

"Vice President, as you may have noticed, I actually _care_ about the SOLDIERs under my nominal command. What changed with you anyway? You wouldn't even give me the time of day before, _little brother_."

Deusericus' chosen words allowed Tseng to finally make that connection. He was reminding Tseng of Rufus - but not physically. What the man reminded Tseng of was the Rufus after that breathless, strange dance of orange _Cielo_ to blue _Pioggia._

"I'll put you in a position where you _can_ get me what I want. Heidigger is a useless arse, and I'm tired of listening to his stupid laugh." Rufus inclined his head slightly to the side, watching Lazard with a too-knowing gaze. "Also, if it weren't for your desire to limit the loss of lives in SOLDIER, I wouldn't even be considering you. We all wear masks, Lazard. Why should you be so surprised that I've been wearing one, too?"

"So you're offering me Public Safety?" Lazard couldn't conceal his surprise. "What - no, let me guess, you _have_ the Turks. So what exactly do you want from me, other than my cooperation? Because this is too much and not asking enough, coming from you."

"A moment, sir." So this was what Legend had meant by that they would _know_, like Legend did when he saw Rufus with Tseng. And then proceeded to _identify_ their matching Affinity of Flames.

"Yes?" Rufus holds up his hand at Lazard, indicating his half-brother to be quiet. Then he twists around in his chair to look at Tseng. His Turk has noticed something, and Rufus trusts his instincts at observation.

"I spoke briefly with the _former_ Director of Weapons Development while you were occupied upstairs, sir." Tseng says, choosing his words carefully. "He mentioned something about being able to _recognize_ others. And even discern Affinity, with sufficient practice. That was how he - ah, discovered our talents.

"If I may make a suggestion, if Director Deusericus is of a _suitable_ Affinity, he can be included in more consequential planning. I have a guess based on reading the experiment logs of the six Affinity types discovered."

This makes Rufus turn back to Lazard, re-examining and re-evaluating the man with a more discerning eye. Now that he focuses on _that_ aspect of things, he can feel _dimly_ what Tseng must have picked up on.

"Well, he _is_ Shinra blood …" And quite a few Shinra men have demonstrated strength in Flame, including himself. He wouldn't be surprised if fucking Strife, current dogsbody to Dark Nation - were also a candidate. He sighs. Rufus wasn't about to hand Lazard a weapon and then get shot in the back with it. "IF he proves himself _moderately_ trustworthy, then we'll get him trained."

Lazard listens to the conversation, but it was couched in such vague terms, it was probably in Turk code that only Rufus was privy to, damn his connections. But _former_ Director of Weapons Development? Wasn't that - 

"I was thinking," Tseng's voice was dangerously serene. "That the exit interview should be performed immediately should the Director's Affinity proves _problematic_. We only need one _Cielo_."

"Fine, but not here." Rufus drums his fingers against the chair arm. They can't do it where someone might interrupt, especially if Lazard's clothing might catch on fire. But it would be absolutely _hilarious._

"If I'm going to be terminated, I should at least like to know why." Lazard says plaintively. "I thought I was going to be more _useful_ to you alive than dead?"

And why is whatever hidden in Rufus' coat pocket bothering him? He wasn't that easily distracted. Not while his life was on the line.

The synchronized buzzing vibration of two PHS interrupts the conversation, identical text messages to Rufus and Tseng.

**"Done class schedule w/ Veld. In HQ. Meet? - G"**

_Convenient timing. How Turk._ Rufus flips open his phone to glance at the message. Chuckling, he sends Giacomo back an affirmative text, asking for location, before looking back at Lazard with a sharp grin.

"Come with me." He stands, purposefully cryptic as he heads for the door. "We're going to find out _ what_ you are. Herd him."

The instruction to Dark Nation was obeyed immediately, the guardhound stalking over to Lazard and snarling at him to hurry up and _move_, obey the Alpha or _else_. 

"At least give me time to set a plausible away message!" Lazard huffs, throwing up his hands. "Both as _alibi_ for you, and for me not to suffer awkward questions if I lived to return!"

Honestly! This is why he doesn't like Rufus - why couldn't he have had the kind of little brother other people did? Like, one that actually adored and _wanted_ a big brother? There was Charlie, at least …

"You have ninety seconds." Rufus says in boredom, checking his expensive designer wristwatch.

Lazard takes his PHS, because it would look odd if he left it behind. He didn't really think he could sneak anything out from under Tseng's watchful eyes. He sends a message cancelling the morning meeting with Sephiroth, and sets the "out of office on temp sick leave" message for his email. It seems like he may not have time to return to day, even if he'd survived whatever test Rufus and his pet Turk devised. 

"Where are we going?"

"62nd Floor, City Archives." Tseng answers as he closes the door after they all exit. Legend had said he'd take care of security.

_Excellent. A spot that nobody ever ventures to._ Rufus notes._ It would be perfect no matter what the outcome. _The four of them step into the elevator and Rufus presses the button for the 62nd Floor.

"Don't look so put out, Lazard." Rufus tells the other blonde casually. "Either you'll be a wizard - or you'll be _dead_. It's an exciting outcome either way."

"You've been hanging around that red-headed Turk too long." Lazard groused. If he was about to die, he planned to have the less regrets the better, so he doesn't watch his mouth as closely. "I knew Turks have peculiar senses of humor but this is more _fucked up weird_ than what passes for the usual."

"Far longer than you'll ever know." Rufus replies in response to Lazard's comment about Reno. He steps off the elevator when it dings open. A quick browse of the stacks brings the familiar shock of red hair visible. Giacomo was waiting for them in one of the City Archive's private cubicles - the ones no one used unless they were trying to beat a deadline doing research. He was also, Lazard noted with disapproval, _smoking_ in a non-smoking area. 

"Director Deusericus - it's a family talent newly come to light." Tseng was all courtesy as he brought up the rear. "Let's just say that you're a _liability_ alive if you're of an unfortunate persuasion in Affinity. It's nothing personal."

"Good morning, kids, I trust you'd slept well?" Giacamo says brightly, barely glancing at Lazard. "Who's the pansy pink shirt?"

"He's unfortuneately related to me," Rufus laments, delighted and opinion of Giotto's best friend skyrocketing at _that_ particular description of Lazard. "This is Lazard Deusericus, my quarrelsome half-brother. And therefore, a _potential_ Flame User of great annoyance. We wish to find out his Affinity."

Dark Nation moves outside to guard the cubicle door while Rufus locks it behind them, drawing close the blinds on the window set in the door. He pulls the dark wooden box of _Cielo_ Rings out of his jacket pocket and sets it on the table. 

"Oh for the love of -" Lazard's reaction to Legend was equally dismal. "Rufus, _please_ tell me that's not Reno's uncle. Because the thought that there's _more_ where he came from is terrifying."

"Another one of Riccardo's bastards? I can't always tell by looking, you know." G gestures for them all to sit. "He's not _Cielo_, if that's what you're worried about. Or _Tempesta_. Those are the two I'm most familiar with. If you don't like him, with the Call of the Ring that strong - just leave him with the Rings and let the problem take care of itself. You might need to slap him awake a couple times to make sure - what with the Flames going out thing if the Flame User falls unconscious. Gotta keep him awake to burn up faster."

Rufus barely has time to convert his laugh into a snort. The idea is more amusing than it has any right of being. Goddess, he would _love_ to watch Lazard burn himself out while getting slapped occasionally. He had to remind himself that Lazard _can_ be useful and that technically, half the things that Rufus hates him for hasn't even happened yet - and will never happen. Sighing, Rufus sits down in a chair that is decidedly not level with the floor. After a grimace, he elects to stay with it.

Tseng doesn't sit, mostly because he wanted to remain on alert. Legend's attitude to that was a careless 'suit yourself' shrug.

"Sit down," Rufus commands Lazard, gesturing to the chair next to him. Reaching over, the Vice President opens the dark wooden lid, exposing three hexagon-cut different coloured Jewelled Rings and one matte-black metal shield crest Ring.

Lazard stared at his Death inside the box - it was easy enough to know what was expected of him, he was no fool. Not when he could feel the mesmerizing, almost hypnotic siren-call from the Ring with the Violet Jewel.

"Do you kids want him dead? Because he should be stripped first if you do. Awkward to explain mysteriously naked dead bodies in a secure area." Ever practical, that was G.

"Would you _prefer_ to be naked for this?" Rufus sets his elbow on the table and rests his chin in hand, looking mischievously at Lazard. 

"Do I look like I have a choice?" Lazard snarled back at Rufus and begins to strip down. If he lived through this, he highly doubts _any_ of these … people in the room would offer to procture clothing for him. "If I die, what's the apparent cause?"

"Spontaneous heart failure." G's grin at Lazard was all teeth and malice. "You'll just be another poor overworked victim from _karoshi_, so sad the things the Company does to its employees."

"It wouldn't be too far from the truth." Lazard mutters, thinking of the amount of paperwork still on his desk before putting on the Violet Jewelled Ring with an air of fatalistic gloom.

"_Nebbia_." Tseng breaths with deep satisfaction at the sight of Violet Flames igniting. "I do believe this is exactly what you were looking for, sir."

"Nebbia?" Perfect. It seems Lazard _will_ be useful in more ways than one. "We'll have to train him after all." Rufus says as he pulls out his stored Fire materia, ready for the inevitable to happen. Maybe Lazard will feel a little more generous after Rufus saves his life.

"You kids didn't explain to him yet?" Giacomo backed his chair up. "This might be a bad time to mention that this was the most Do Not Want _Cielo_ Flame combination before _Tempesta_."

"What is going on?!" Lazard was confused, feeling both drained and _elated_ at the same time. Was this what all his SOLDIERs feel like after Mako enhancements? The dim room's lighting was brighter, the outlines shaper, and he could smell both the tobacco from the red headed stranger and wet guardhound outside the door. He threw his arms up instinctively at Rufus' approach - and an office cubicle _wall_ appeared between them. 

Rufus growls at Lazard's attempt to keep him out. It's clearly a _Nebbia_ construct, so Rufus knows he can absorb it. Placing his hand against it, he had time to marvel that it didn't feel any different from the real thing before he makes it vanish, the surge of power filling his reserves as he deconstructs and takes the energy within himself. Once it's gone, he rushes forward to snag Lazard's wrist before his half-brother can throw anything else up between them. Lazard was _talented_ \- which may be bad for Rufus if he couldn't leash the man.

"Stop using your power." He barks the order. "It uses your _life-force_ to fuel it."

"You - what - " Lazard was _flustered_. Yesterday his world was perfectly rational and he understood the shape of things. Today - he doesn't even know _what_ to call today. 

"Calm down, Lazard - I'm going to feed you energy so that you won't kill yourself." The past two times, Rufus had done this with people who trusted him and were willing to accept the energy he gives. Lazard _doesn't trust Rufus at all_, and he could feel Lazard fighting him on it.

"How do you expect me to calm down? I feel like I just received SOLDIER level enhancements - and why are _you_ on fire? I don't even think we're using the same wavelength of energy even if it's the same kind!"

"You're still pushing me away." Rufus warns. There's so much resistance, but he supposes that's only to be expected with someone who's scared, confused - and held no trust in him whatsoever. "_Accept_ my energy, don't fight it. You'll only get full disclosure when you survive this."

"And I'm sure you'll be just the same accepting and understanding if our positions were reversed?" Lazard glares at Rufus, naked and still enveloped by pale Violet Flames. "That's easier said than done! I don't even know what I'm doing to cause - wait, if I take the Ring off - "

"I wouldn't do that, Pinky." G leisurely took a pull on his cigarette. There wasn't much he could do here, even if he was so inclined, and Kiddo didn't need his Flame to feed, not when Tseng was the easier option. "Take it off and you'll be drained ten times faster - and dropping your chance at matching your brother's generous support by the same."

"_Pinky_?!"

"In worst case scenario, we can always knock Director Deusericus out first and resume at a later time." Tseng said calculatingly, before lighting up his _Pioggia_ and letting it wash over both Rufus and Lazard.

Rufus felt the cool support against his _Cielo_, familiar like the feel of Tseng's hand steadying his shoulder, correcting his firing stance at the gun range.

Lazard felt as if he was being doused in a bucket of watery ice, shocking him into dropping his guard - enough for Rufus to _reach_ and link to _Nebbia_ Flames. 

"You really need to calm down, Lazard." Rufus is glad for Tseng's support. Seizing the opening, he pushes _Cielo_ in, letting it flow over Lazard. " Where's that cool demeanor that SOLDIER has come to rely on, hmm? How will they follow a Director that panics so easily? Find your centre and draw your power back into yourself. _Visualize_. Like scooping handfuls of sand back into a bottle, then corking it. My power will stop you from using up your life-force. Think of it as being plugged in instead of running on battery power."

"Fuck you too, Rufus." And sometimes, it required profanity to express _feelings_ adequately. Lazard did it now, since it seemed he was too valuable to die on Rufus Shinra again. He's never been one for futile actions, so he does pay attention and _follow instructions_, trying to ignore how much _better_ the addition of Rufus' power to his own had increased the heady drought.

"Maybe you should be more grateful, considering I'm in the process of saving your life still." Rufus calmly reminds Lazard, attention still focused on his half-brother. Lazard doesn't know the logistics of it, after all. "I could still kill you and wait for another _Nebbia_ user to come along."

"You're getting good at this, kiddo." G checked the time. Not the best, but no slouch either at 7:11. "So what's the plan today other than unscheduled indoctrination to the magical world of Flaming Gay?"

"More Flame practice. A meeting with my dear Old Man. Potentially a beheading." Rufus sighs as he breaks contact from Lazard before turning to glare at Tseng. "We'll see how things go. Tseng ..."

He doesn't like the idea of Tseng using _Pioggia_ without being fed for it. 

"I was in no danger, sir." Tseng's eyes were calm as he also let _Pioggia_ fade away. "Legend kept concise notes. I kept my Flame within the constraints of my mana pool, and I will only need a few ethers to replenish my mana at most. The initial feeding at Flame ignition is only necessary as a _safety net_ for the initiate, when they run past their mana and their ability to consume potions. For the experiments, if it went that far, Giotto Shinra usually topped everyone involved up to full capacity _afterwards_ with no ill effect. Including himself."

Rufus doesn't drop his glare at Tseng, even thought it's good to know that non-_Cielo_ Users doesn't cause irreversible damage, if the energy is replenished immediately afterwards. 

"Kid, Tseng's right." Giacomo put a hand on Rufus' shoulder. "Based on the experiments, there's no chance of permanent damage as long as you don't pull past your mana pool - because that regenerates naturally even without ethers. It's when you go _past_ then it's iffy. When Giotto checked on me, I was already half dead and chugging potions like there was no tomorrow. 

"I still can't figure out he knew what to do either. You learnt to listen and trust Giotto's _gut feelings_ because he'd be fucking right no matter how stupid it sounded at the moment. It's also how he got his sixteen year old ass banned from _all_ legal gambling establishments while being underage. I wouldn't have believed it if I wasn't there when it happened."

"_You're_ G?!" Lazard blurted, eyes wide. "That G who was Uncle Giotto's best friend and the designer for both Junon and Midgar's Security Systems?"

It seemed that while Lazard had managed to _appropriate_ one familial connection, he'd missed others. Rufus is equally floored that Lazard had _known_ about Giotto Shinra - and Giacomo. Then again, Lazard hadn't been raised under Riccardo Shinra's influence, so perhaps he'd been more aware and diligent in exploring familial connections. Lazard was also _older_. 

"Did you ever _meet_ our uncles?" Rufus asked, eyes narrowed at Lazard. It would be another reason to hate the man, if he did. Rufus doesn't do well with jealousy, especially when there's no chance whatsoever to even the score. 

"If you're asking if I knew what they looked like, yes." Lazard's response was testy as he lied through his teeth. His mother had told him who his father was, and how he was going to take mother and son away from this proverty to Above Plate one day. It never happened. "In person, no. Not much to read in the Slums other than old tabloids. Uncle Giotto's face used to be all over them, as was our _other_ Uncle's, though less frequently. Uncle Allodo had a habit of physically disciplining reporters who wrote lies."

"Get dressed." Rufus could tell when Lazard wasn't telling the truth - or at least, when he was holding something back. "You have a lot of training to do."

Goddess, why did _Lazard_ have to be a Flame User? It does make sense that his lying weasel of a half-brother would be _Nebbia_, though. The man lived in a world of lies and now he'll be able to make them physical as well. Rufus would need to keep a close eye on him, and it's another reason why he needs to be able to tell constructs on sight.

"You're not the boss of me, yet." Lazard snaps back, already getting dressed. He considered himself a polished and educated man of refinement now, after Uncle Giotto found him after his mother had died and sponsored his education. But talking with Rufus always seemed to bring out that inner six year old. "I'll need to check my schedule and put in applications for more secretaries. Do you have _any_ idea how much paperwork I'm expected to do by myself?"

"Do no think, for a moment, that you are alive right now by anything other than the grace of my will," Rufus was at the end of his patience with Lazard. Grabbing the man by his collar, he drags their faces close together. "You will do what I tell you, or that _grace_ will run out. So I assure you, I _am_ the boss of you whether you like it or not."

"In case you haven't noticed, _baby brother_, you're not the only one with that sort of attitude about my _continued employment_." Lazard hisses, just as quiet and deadly serious as Rufus' tone. "Your noose around my neck might be the tighter and _more immediate_ one, but that doesn't mean the one from dearest Old Dad doesn't exist.

"You come charging into my office without notice, turn my worldview upside down and let me think I'm a hair's breadth of an exit interview until I was more _useful_ alive - it would take a saint or Uncle Giotto to forgive that, and I'm not a fucking saint!"

G frowned at the dialogue between the half-brothers, but didn't interfere. Now that Pinky's glasses had been consumed by his _Nebbia_ Flames, the Shinra family resemblance was more obvious, and he thought he remembered Giotto mention Pinky once. Pinky was also right about being more _useful_ alive, and if Rufus had even half Allodo's temper it would be best if G brought the topic up later.

"And _you_ had every intention of framing me for your treachery." Rufus hissed right back at Lazard, sticking his hand in Lazard's face to shut him up and push him away. "So whatever hatred I have for you is entirely of your own doing."

"You're the _pedigree_, I'm the _mutt_. Guess which one of us Dickhead Daddy's more likely to hang?" Lazard pushes Rufus back at the same time. "It's called _self-preservation._"

Rufus ignores Lazard - his excuses doesn't hold water because it was his choice to sabotage the Company in Rufus' name. He should have taken the blame for it himself, and now he's paying the price. Does he expect Rufus to like him for it? _Idiot_.

"Yo, Kiddo. You want to take me along as Turk detail to your old man's meeting?" Giacomo interrupts, changing the topic to a more pleasant one. "We can test that heart attack theory."

Tseng sighs. For all his purported age of forty-one, Legend wasn't much better than Reno when it came to poking at hornet nests.

"That's not a half bad idea, actually," The Vice President muses, looking back at Giacomo. Lazard had proved his theory that Shinra men were _strong_ in Flames, so if his father was _also_ a Flame User strong enough to hear the Rings' Call, all they would have to do is leave the box, open, on his Father's desk and let him put one of those pretty, deadly baubles on …

"Kid, if you're thinking about using the Rings on Riccardo - don't. Especially not if you're thinking of what I described earlier for Pinky's disposition. There's a few reasons why I wouldn't advise it. First of all, _we don't know his Affinity_. The reason _I've_ never tried is because I think he's a Flame User, but I don't know **which one** except that it's not _Tempesta_ or _Nebbia_. It would be Very Bad if he's _Cielo_ like Giotto - and I'm not about to use any _Cielo_ Ring to test that."

Pinky was also on an info diet and G wasn't about to let him know the Kiddo's trump.

"If he is _Cielo_, that would be a huge problem." Can't they just gun him down and be done with it? Rufus knows it's too risky until he has all his pieces on board, but he can dream about it. "Giacomo, if he _is_ a Flame User and he knows, why didn't he have me tested earlier? Did he think I'd never find out?"

If it wasn't for Giacomo's offering, that might have been true. And his father did tend to underestimate Rufus.

"I don't know of another way to test other than the Rings and their copies." G rubbed his chin, thinking. "I mean, there's the _gut feeling_ like Tseng just demonstrated, but it's obviously not exact. And the only reason I guessed right for you two was because of my familiarity with - ah, the others who had them. And I did guess wrong about you having a second, minor Affinity, since you didn't seem to feel anything for the _Nuvola_ Ring. And I _know_ I don't have ALL the Ring Copies I've ever made, while I've kept the original Seven and all my notes on making the Copies. 

"See, until I perfected my process, most of them weren't durable, more like single use disposables. And there were _duds_ that couldn't be tuned to any Affinity - those I didn't keep good track of, so Riccardo could have gotten his hands on them. Giotto also lost an S-ranked _Cielo_ just before your grandfather died. He'd been trying to see if he could feed his Flames to extend your namesake's life. Allodo caught his sorry ass collapsed next to the sickbed, and handcuffed Giotto back to his own hospital bed because Giotto was _still_ recovering from Mako Poisoning.

"I don't have a full set of all the different strength Ring Copies for every Affinity - there's the obvious _Fulmine_ hole, but there's also control and Flame potency issues. I made a whole range of **blank Affinity** Ring Copies - highest and closest to the originals are S-ranks. Then it drops down about half strength each rank descending, from highest A-rank to lowest F-rank. Affinity Ring Copies can't be mass produced, because you _need_ a Flame User in the corresponding Affinity to _tune a ring_ to the same Affinity. If your Flame potency is too high, the lower strength copies _shatter_ after one use, even just for tuning purposes. My _Tempesta_ could only tune Rings from S to B at first, until my control improved - but I could never make anything lower than D-rank. Giotto and Allodo's main Affinities were so potent that **any** Rings below B-rank were one-shots to them.

"There's also nothing wrong with Allodo's control - don't ask me how he lit his secondary _Nebbia_ on the original; but his minor Flame potency was only B-rank. He was able to tune copies all the way down to F-rank before he got bored. I'm low on _Nebbia_ copies from D to F-ranks because Allodo was only interested in making Rings he can use. Most _Nebbia_ Copies I got are B-ranks, due to this. Spade filled the gap for S-rank & A-rank _Nebbia_ copies, so I have a few of those. Giotto's control was always WHAT CONTROL and he made up for it by having MORE, so let's not talk about him. 

"Ugetsu and Knuckle both said something about Wutai Meditative Exercises in their own disciplines helping with finesse and control, so I have full sets of their Affinities. I didn't keep all of them. When Ugetsu and Knuckle went back to Wutai, I gave them both Ring Copy Sets as parting presents. They both wanted to set up Schools in their martial styles, so there was about a dozen of S-ranks each for their own use, and two sets of A to F each for any students they wanted to take. After I went rogue from Shinra, I kept much better track of _everything_ because my resources were limited and all I could make were more _Tempesta_, ranks S to D." 

During all this talk, G hadn't been idle either. He'd set Tseng's _Pioggia_ Ring to its less assuming Sealed Shield in matte black metal and waterdrop Crest. His own _Tempesta_, however kept its hexagon cut Red Jewel Unsealed. 

"Pinky, you might want to get yours done, too. Riccardo doesn't know what the Rings look like Sealed. The Copies are all in the Unsealed style because for some reason, there's less duds as Jewelled Rings than as pure metal casts." 

"Giacomo, I'm going to need you to tell me EVERYTHING about _Cielo_ Flame User abilities. I want to know what my father has potentially been up to." Rufus sighs. This was giving him a headache, but he's getting used to headaches when it came to dealing with Flames. "If he's a Flame User, he's probably done other things I want his head for, other than what I _already_ know about." 

"There's so much Shit Giotto pulled it's going to be fucking hard to list everything. I probably have some stuff in footnotes only, because Allodo would've have pitched a fit if they were in the main report. " G was a bad, bad Enabler. "I'm pretty sure Riccardo isn't STUPID enough to do some of Giotto's Dumb Shit but yeah, I'll list everything." 

"I mostly just need an idea of what abuses my father can do if he had these powers." Rufus replies, turning to Lazard. He really doesn't want to let Lazard in on _Cielo_'s full capabilities. "Lazard, get your Ring Sealed, then go back to work. Meet with me again tomorrow. We have more to discuss than I thought. Don't try to use your _Nebbia_. You'll just get yourself into trouble without us. You also look ridiculous without your glasses." 

"And our _Uncles_ and their friends used to do this .. .mystical .. Flame ... Thing?" Lazard was still in the Surreal Zone. He'd finished dressing and had finally noticed the missing glasses.

"Yep, welcome to the Flaming Gay Club, you're still on probation so no secret handshakes for you yet, Pinky." After bullying Lazard into brief _Nebbia_ again, this time with more control and no lost clothing to Rufus' disappointment, G Sealed his Ring back to its matte black Shield. Then G passed Lazard an ether. He was obviously prepared, passing one each to Rufus and Tseng before downing a fourth himself. "Still tastes worse than piss. Kiddo, you want to invite Pinky over on a Movie Night? I need to have a refresher in addition to looking over my old notes, and fresh sets of eyes should catch anything I miss." 

"How much video are we talking about?" Tseng was using the photocopier in the background, making copies of and blacking out Legend's notes and reports. If he hurried, he should have a truncated Flame User basics pamphlet that was generic use and didn't mention _any_ Flame or Affinity types. He also added in the notes to try ethers, then potions, then hi-potions and elixirs first. It was only when potions are involved then the _Cielo_ should step in. "You filmed _every_ Flame experiment?" 

"All the ones I could, even field trips. Mostly because it's good for shits and giggles. Not the first ones, obviously." Legend sighed in nostalgia. "Allodo destroyed his learning tape because it ended up with him in only socks and boxers." 

"Lazard can join us." Rufus had to suppress a snicker at the thought of the uncle with a terrifying reputation reduced to that situation by Flames. Magic Family Movie Night with Lazard was bound to be interesting. Educational, but interesting. He's still of two minds about initiating Lazard in more than _Nebbia_ \- there was no trust between the two of them. "I'm going to need lots of wine for this." 

"Heh, Told you booze was needed for all this Flame Shit." G grins. "You kiddos can hep me empty Giotto's cellar, he's got some good stuff. Going back on topic - Kiddos, you've all felt what it was like on first ignition, when the Flames switch on, right? 

"That's the most **basic** use for Flames, any Affinity. It acts like an overall stat boost, if there was an materia that boosted ALL your stats at once. Enhanced senses, increases in speed, strength and endurance as long as your Flames are lit. But if you don't keep it under your skin - bye bye clothing. The best Flame at it is _Sereno_, followed by _Cielo_ and _Nuvola_ \- but it works better if you're already trained in physical combat to begin with. So Riccardo's probably used it like that already, but he's not exactly physically _active_ the way Allodo or Giotto were. Offhand I'd say dodging assassinations, maybe increases in personal stamina on public appearances or even just impressing arm candy in bed. There's also the energy boosts with the whole materia absorption - but since he doesn't have any other Flame Users working with him, I don't think he knows or will have access to Flame combos or interactions." 

"So all we're saying is that if we wanted to kill my father, we'll need to be thorough about it." Rufus can't help but wonder what would happen if he tried to absorb Riccardo's Flames. Would he be able to leave Riccardo completely drained, maybe even Flameless permanently? Or would there be some explosion of power with _two Cielo_ interacting with each other? It was something to ask about later, if Giacomo even had an answer. 

"Ideal Turk setup would be in his bed naked so that he's got no materia access, yeah." Giacomo agrees. "I hacked the Turk proposal database, and Windy's report has the right idea. She was Riccardo's first handler who wrote the initial psyche analysis on how to keep him occupied and less prone to dismissing Turks. Like I said, the only **overlap** of Flames we'd ever seen was with Allodo's minor _Nebbia_ and that fucker Spade's main. So I haven't actual data on _Cielo_ vs. _Cielo_. Can try running stimulations, but I'll need something more fancy than my current setup." 

"Giacomo, can you also check if any other Turks have potential? I'd like to find the other Ring Champions from their ranks, if possible." 

"I haven't had a closer look at the current roster yet, but I'd rather start with a stable two-Turk Team. If Nunchuck had a partnership like that already, I'd have taught him first." Giacomo sighed. "One of the biggest fights I used to have with Allodo over secrecy is that there's one Affinity that's super easy to spot. A LOT of martial artists and hand to hand specialists are _Sereno_. I can't explain it. They just all give you this extreme 'I'm so _Sereno_ it hurts' feeling - and Allodo could pick them out too. He wanted a full complement of _Sereno_ Turks as a combat medic team." 

"I'll have to check to see if **Rude** is _Sereno_." That would be very handy - if true, Rude could be trusted not to abuse the power. "If he and Reno are both Flame Users, they'll be an excellent team." 

"Oh, those two teamed up? Reno … he might be _Tempesta_ like me. I never bothered to find out for sure, but our mothers were both _freelancers_ in Sector 3 Slums, same area. Yeah, **that** kind of freelancer." 

"There's so much testing to be done." Rufus is worried there wasn't going to be _time_ for all of it. He still needed to make the Wutai Extraction mission _happen_ to completely secure Veld's loyalty. At the mention of Reno's mother, Rufus squints at Giacomo. He'd known that Reno was from that part of the Slums under Plate, but how was that even relevant? "Anyway, if he is _Tempesta_, which would fit him very well, then training under you would be ideal." 

"Flame types seem to be determined by genetics, at least in part. I mean, some Flame Users with identical Affinities are related. Tseng and Ugetsu are both Wutai, and unless I'm very much mistaken, both Moon Clan. At that hierarchy they intermarry a LOT, and if you put Ugetsu in a Turk Suit, he'd look like an older Tseng with longer hair, and minus the protective _bindi_ tattoo." 

"Are you saying that you're _actually_ related to Reno?" Rufus blinks. That would explain a lot. But Spade and Lazard … both pure _Nebbia_ Flame Users. Was Spade _related_ to Lazard? 

"I don't know who my father was." G said easily. "And my mother died when I was around six. I know my birthdate but not the year - Giotto thought I might _actually_ be older, but we just used his birth year to document me, since I needed that extra year to catch up. Anyhow, the _freelancers_ in that area are all related to some degree, and pay tithes to a Madam running a House for safety reasons. House freelancers are usually cousins, sisters, even daughters to the Madam. I don't know _which_ House Reno was from, but since the clientele also overlap - 

"We might share blood but he's a stranger to me and vice versa." G summed it up in a careless shrug. "My second point was, Flame Affinities also seems personality-based. Since both Spade and Pinky there rub me wrong just by _breathing_, and that's before I ever learnt their Affinities." 

"If you're Reno's father, I'm going to be very disappointed in _both_ of you." Rufus mumbles, trying to ignore the growing headache. Tseng noticed and massaged his temples, _Pioggia_ flickering just below the fingertips. The coolness somewhat eased the pain. 

"Nah, you won't be disappointed, Kiddo." G laughed at the pained expression on Rufus' face. "Never stuck my cock in a woman. Giotto tried to send me to see an erectile dysfunction specialist when we were fifteen, because I _wasn't_ interested in girls but he was. He was like 'but G, it's such _tragedy_ if you can't! Sex is so much fun and I don't want you missing out!' I had to give him the Talk on homosexuality vs. heterosexuality." 

Actually, he had been a lot more blunt than that, but it was probably Too Much Information since the conversation had degenerated rapidly to Giotto's ephiphany that he played both teams. 

"Why are you still here?" A strangled gasp brought Rufus' attention back to Lazard. 

"Getting my breath back after my assigned reading from your pet Turk." Lazard said primly, tucking the truncated report copies Tseng had given him into a file folder, then standing up to leave. He'd been hoping to hear more past the enforced information diet on Flames, but the shock that G might be actually related to Reno had given him away. "Good day." 

"Good girl." Watching Lazard leave, Rufus smirks when Dark Nation nips at his half-brother exiting the door. Lazard very narrowly avoided the bite and left more hurriedly than he came. 

"I suppose the red hair is a give-away. And the attitude. But your eyes aren't right." 

"Tseng'd be able to fill that part of history lesson in better for you than I can, Kiddo. You do realize that Wutai wasn't _always_ the victim, right? Whenever it's unified under an Emperor - last time was early 1900s - they'd fucking start trying to conquer the other Continents. This was just a leftover." 

"I don't doubt it. Wutai would have been an incredibly strong nation if they were united. Why wouldn't they invade?" Rufus notes, finally drinking his ether. "But now that Lazard is _finally_ gone, is there something you wanted us to practice? I'd like to improve our powers as quickly as possible." 

"Right _now?_ Stamina. For both of you, the easiest exercise is just maintain the Flames under the skin, like I said earlier. You'll be able to tell when your control is slipping when you start burning, since you can't do soft _Cielo_ that doesn't burn yet. And Tseng ... well, you enjoyed seeing him lose clothes." Giacomo lit another cigarette, and let a small flicker of red _Tempesta_ play on his hand and arm like a card sharking trick. "Shaping and control exercises, like this. Play with your Flame. Keep an ether handy when you do it. Tseng's got it easier since _Pioggia_ is less aggressive, and there's SO MUCH WUTAI SHIT that works with it, according to Ugetsu. The other reason I think Affinities are also personality based, is that the Flames already _complement_ our existing combat styles - at least it did for the six of us who could hear the Rings' Call. Play to your strengths, since you and Tseng both did." 

"Was the main purpose of meeting us here just to tell us to _play to our strengths_?" Rufus said sarcastically, after a glance at Tseng to _stop_ babying him with unauthorized Flame use. He also hands Tseng the leftover ether since he was already full, and the Turk finishes it. He would like more time to practice together with Tseng, and to learn to do the flying thing, even if it sounds _ridiculously_ awkward and impractical. 

"Not enough room here to do more than what I just showed you." G spread his hands to indicate the lack of shooting range. "There's movie rooms here, and I thought you wanted to see how to fly. If we have time before seeing Riccardo." 

"It's like you can read the most irritating thoughts I have." Rufus groans. "Fine, let's see it so I can be in a thoroughly disgusted mood before seeing my old man." 

"A bit of a mixed bag in this one, but all useful tricks. Giotto had found out how to absorb energy attacks and non-Flame spells, so this was also a practice field trip for him. I was trying to gather DATA on Allodo's _Nuvola_ but he wasn't exactly cooperating. It's also the first and ONLY time Giotto's ever gotten the better of Allodo - he figured out how to put Allodo on-ice with Flames in a non-lethal manner." 

"Now those, I'm interested in." Rufus says as he stands so he can stretch his leg out inconspicuously. His knee was still giving him some problems after the Nibelheim trip - all that fun last night might have pushed it a bit far. "Let's go see what trouble I can get into with _Cielo_." 

============================

**[ μ ] - εγλ 1977 Late Spring, Eastern Continent**

The quality of the video was adequate considering its age. It was also clear from the bouncing that the cameraman had been carrying it on one shoulder. The locale was somewhere in the Grasslands, south and east of Midgar. In his signature dark windbreaker trenchcoat, Allodo Shinra was in the lead of the trek, stopping infrequently to glare back at the cameraman. He was the oldest of the four visible hikers, and didn't look as if he was a day over twenty-five. There's Giotto Shinra, laughing and in a more casual white shirt and suspenders getup, sleeves rolled up. Two Wutai youths, one in full traditional priestly robes, complete with the hat that hid the length of his hair. The other wore his hair short cropped, energetic and also in traditional Wutai fashion - but that of a martial arts Master. They all looked much younger than Allodo, barely past twenty, if that. There was no sign of Giacomo's flamboyant red hair, so obviously he was the cameraman.

Their final destination was evident: Zolom Marshes. And it soon became obvious why the other three hung back from Allodo's lead - the minute a full grown Zolom showed up, the founder of the Turks _charged_ it head-on, easily dodging its bite and tail attacks. He moved _fast_, despite not being an enhanced human. Rufus suspected Allodo was using the basic Flames full-body enhancement Giacomo described, for that SOLDIER like speed and reflexes. His single chain whip multiplied under a mix of Violet and Purple Flames - _Nuvola_ Propagation and _Nebbia_ Construction in concert. They latched onto the Zolom's head, and brought it down to the dust.

"Not again, Allodo!" G's voice by the camera, confirming the cameraman's identity. 

"No worries, G, let's go find another one for your data -" Giotto's sunny laugh again, grinning into the camera before his expression turned to consternation. "DUCK!"

There's a scramble with the camera jouncing wildly as a second Zolom's tail attack lashed from behind. More rocking, as G managed to set the camera down on a tripod, facing the sight of Giotto Shinra _flying_ upwards to avoid the bite attack of the second surprise Zolom. Orange bursts of _Cielo_ Flames fired off from his palms as Giotto stayed afloat in midair, then he back-flipped to land atop of the Zolom's head, attempting to punch through the skull for a kill.

With a wild yell, the martial artist joined in - Knuckle - he fought as his later student Tifa Lockheart would, in leaps and kicks and fist, body outlined by yellow _Sereno_ Flames. The Wutai priest - Ugetsu - called up familiar _Pioggia_ as he drew his blades; left hand katana, right hand daggers outlined by luminous blue fires that _slowed_ the beast as it roared, releasing its near-death energy blast. 

G's red _Tempesta_ arrows, obviously not yet perfected, only dispelled part of the fiery energy blast centering upon him. But it was enough for Giotto to fly by and _catch_ the Beta attack with _Cielo_ Flames that absorbed the remainder blast, Flames growing and _surging_ back to the Zolom. The end result was very pretty sparkles of pyreflies fade-flying away to the Lifestream.

"Interesting. This does have potential." Rufus said as he watched the action. Not that he would actually be on the frontlines of battle in this manner. Okay, he _had_ pulled that stupid stunt with Kadaj, but not by _preference_. " They flying doesn't look quite as terrible as I'd feared. Not great, but nothing that will shame my descendants. That counter-spell, though, _that_ is fascinating."

To be able to absorb the power and throw it back at his opponents would be incredibly handy.

"Yeah, I thought it was because Beta is a fire-based energy attack, but it's not. _Cielo_ doesn't discriminate - it's just that FIRE elemental energy is easier to absorb." G answered absently, cribbing notes in the notebook he'd brought. "That's why we picked Zoloms. You'll see Giotto suck up other kinds later."

Rufus nods, it wasn't just the _Cielo_ techniques that fascinated him - this is the living, moving pictures of his uncles. It's odd to see them and know they'd been around - but that Rufus had been completely _oblivious_ to their existence for almost thirty years. If the Planet hadn't sent him back, he would have _remained_ oblivious. They're such vibrant men, bold and confident. He would have liked them, surely?

"According to Giotto, it was easier than he expected. Like catching a large amount of Flame and convincing it to _meld_ with his before flinging it back. Apparently when a monster throws an energy attack, it's like a Flame User with _receptive_ stance Flame for him to work with, just _more_ in volume. 

"We weren't worried about Allodo. Once he started picking on that Zolom, it's claimed as _his_. Anyone joining in was _competition_ and Fair Game, Knuckle found that out the hard way." G said, turning the page on his notebook. "It's the next part that's interesting. Giotto's done the whole 'suck it up and throw it back' at monsters by accident before, so one of the data points I wanted this field trip was to see if he can do it deliberately, under conscious control. When it hits a living monster, the result's always the same, poof to Lifestream. Except this time, cuz it's a living monster he _doesn't want to kill_."

"Is Allodo done yet?" Earnest, the martial artist Knuckle's voice. "_Ji_ still needs more data, right?"

"It's not like he fucking listens." G groused in the background, adjusting the camera. "I ALREADY have enough data on physical augumentation - it's the _magical_ spell augmentation I wanted for his Propagation Affinity. As usual, he forgot again that fuuuuuuuck, Allodo!"

There was another wild swinging of the camera as an _area-wide ice attack_ hailed down upon the four younger men. They all scatter except for Giotto Shinra, standing before G to protect both best friend and camera.

"Come on, Allodo, a little warning next time?" The warmer lilt in the voice of Rufus' younger uncle wheedled as he absorbed the first wave of the spell attack.

"Hn." The older man stepped into view. "That Zolom was weak. You two would do better."

"Fuuuuuuuuck Allodo, I'm still filming, go pick on Giotto!" 

"Giotto fights more seriously when he has something to protect." The voice was logic and ice, as a _second_ en-mass ice spell launched, only to be absorbed again by _Cielo_ orange. Judging from the size and number of ice spears formed, it had to have been at least Blizzaga-All level. "He hasn't been putting his heart into practice lately, and it showed. That goes for _all of you_. With Flames, you all should have been able to take on a Zolom individually."

"Wait, where'd you even get the All materia - I knew you don't have - Fuuuuuuuuuuuck Giotto he's Propagating it!"

The third wave _broke_ the Blizzaga ceiling - Rufus watches silently, eyebrows raising higher as the spells grew in strength. The earlier Blizzaga spells also covered much more area than Rufus had ever seen - so this was the full strength of _Nuvola_'s Propagation? A skill like that would be **decisively lethal** on the field of War, and Rufus can see WHY his Uncle would have been such a feared enemy - and powerful ally. And the reason why Giacomo used Uncle Allodo as a measuring stick for Flame strength. No wonder Allodo Shinra was a man that drew others to follow him.

Then Allodo directs that power on his own brother, and Rufus was looking at a mass _Blizzaja_ that Giotto Shinra was forced to turn back, unable to _contain_ all that energy after the first two Blizzaga waves. He had only seen Blizzaja from Fusion Materia before, naturally forming Ice materia simply didn't reach that high in spell potency. But that wasn't what set Rufus to quiet gasps. 

"DAMMIT, Allodo!" Giotto screamed in desperation. "Dodge! I can't! I gotta - I can't absorb all of this - HELP!"

The orange _Cielo_ energy twisted, answering its summoner's call. Instead of taking apart the still _smiling_ Turk founder - it froze the advancing man in a solid block of ice crystal. It was like watching a glacier forming in fast forward, orange fires lightening to white then blue ice. 

".... Fuck." G's voice said weakly on screen.

"... I need to learn how to do that." Rufus breathed in excitement.

"Pretty insane, isn't it?" G agreed, resting his chin in one hand, other tapping on the table with a pen. "Like you know your materia theory and how people have elemental affinity, so that's why people who're strongly aligned to Fire have trouble even getting a snowflake from Ice? _Ice_ was Allodo's elemental affinity and once he figured out how to link materia to _Nuvola_ Propagation, he fucking stopped using Support Materia that it can duplicate.

"We're talking CRAZY Shit here, like ALL, MP TURBO and QUAD MAGIC linked at the same time to a Mastered Ice. And that's not even accounting for his personal Stat Boost with two Flames. Even with all that, Allodo STILL _preferred_ physical to magic fights - it probably bored him to bury opponents in hail, more fun if he could beat the shit out of them with chain whips."

The next part of the video involved the younger G, Giotto, Ugetsu and Knuckle trying to figure out how to free Allodo. _Pioggia_ was absorbed, adding another layer to the ice.

"Oh, my." Ugetsu said politely in an archaic Wutai accent. 

"Well, that didn't work." Knuckle said ruefully, healing his wrist after a _Sereno_ infused punch fractured wrist instead of crystal.

"WTF Giotto, just WTF did you do?" G had Giotto by the collar and was trying to shake sense into the sheepishly grinning younger Shinra brother. HIS _Tempesta_ ate about a centimeter into the ice before it was promptly absorbed. "That's NOT fucking ice, that's _materia_! You fucking turned _Cielo_ into Materia!"

"Allodo's going to _kill_ us." 

"Very interesting." Rufus leans forward, elbows set on his knees. Clearly, they DID get Allodo out eventually - but it was very interesting that the crystal/materia was **immune** to the Flames directed at it. "Good to see no one's worried about Uncle Allodo dying. He must have been incredibly resilient."

Rufus guesses, without seeing the rest of the video, that Giotto was the only one who could undo it - he made it in the first place, after all.

"I always said you'd need to drop a fucking mountain on him. And THEN worry that the mountain wasn't big enough." G sighed, almost wistful in recollection. "This was _normal_ for him and for the experiments - for all of us involved. Hojo wanted to have Allodo 'tour' his labs so much, it was _creepy_. But given what SOLDIER ended up being, he probably wanted Allodo as a fucking _template_."

"Giotto-kun, either we solve the problem here now, and limit the discipline to ourselves -" Ugetsu was gesturing as he spoke. "- or we call for Turk aid in transport, which would extend the punishment to others."

"Fixing this here is definitely better." Giotto agrees whole-heartedly, nodding. "I need a boost, though, or I won't be able to refuel myself and all of you later. I mean, when I did this, I was pulling from _Allodo_."

"So we're playing 'how many Flame Users it takes to equal and de-ice an Allodo?'" G grumbled but lit red _Tempesta_ to support Giotto's orange _Cielo_. Ugetsu and Knuckle both joined in with blue _Pioggia_ and yellow _Sereno_.

"Thanks guys, I promise to be first in line in beatings so you have time to run for it." Giotto said as the combined and strengthened _Cielo_ slowly melted - and absorbed the not-ice materia.

"... did you have to free the top first?" G said sourly.

While looking wilted, the first thing a partially freed Allodo did was to construct _multiple_ chain whips and _restrain_ all witnesses and perpetrators.

"Continue. If it is not done in five minutes, double training next three months." Allodo said heartlessly as the others groaned. 

============================

**[ μ ] - εγλ 1998 July 17th, Friday 11:45 AM - Shinra HQ, 62nd Floor City Archives**

Rufus snorts at the outcome. Allodo was fine, and that was itself a tremendous feat - but he was definitely a sore loser.

"He didn't take that with much grace." He comments, shaking his head as the video ended. "He was the one who attacked, did he expect them not to defend themselves?" 

"Oh no, that was Allodo in a _good mood_." G said sardonically. "Giotto got very, very good at that ice technique he named _Zero Point Breakthrough_ \- BECAUSE Allodo made him do it for their one-on-one spars for the next three months, before he lost interest. Do you have any idea how long Allodo's been looking for a battle to _lose_?

"And the only reason Allodo lost interest was because Giotto couldn't go all out against his own brother. At least, not until Allodo beat him into full fight instead of flight reflex. So once Giotto started to counter with passive shielding in protest, he stopped. The only thing that got Allodo's blood boiling _was_ battle.

"Shall we go?" G shut off the screen.

Rufus can't help but compare Allodo's beatings with his own beatings from his father. How Riccardo Shinra would beat him for arbitrary things. Certainly, Allodo Shinra was violent, but it _wasn't_ the same. Riccardo would take his frustrations out on Rufus: Beat him when he did things wrong, beat him when he did things right. It had never made Rufus afraid of his father, instead building up an intense resentment that led to an eleven-year-old attempting patricide.

Allodo, on the other hand, attacked with a purpose, to teach a lesson. It seemed a surprise to Rufus that his uncle even lived as long as he did, considering how Allodo was wont to fight EVERYTHING. 

"Yes, I've seen enough for now." A shotgun wasn't the answer to everything, and Rufus wouldn't be able to take Dark Nation to Wutai. "There are some things I'd like to practice, especially since I'm going to Wutai for the Extraction mission."

"You need stamina first. Practice with Tseng since his Affinity is less volatile than mine." G was thinking out loud now, waving Tseng away as the Turk tried to hand him the video disc, and taking a copy of the edited Flames Users Intro brochure in exchange. "Keep it, it's a copy for you kids. I can't believe we lived through all the crazy shit BOTH Giotto and Allodo pulled, and how they learned isn't exactly safe. Gotta do an actual Flames Course Outline for you kiddos. I'll probably show you gun-flight and Spade next. Helena, too.

"It might not look it, but Allodo was actually the most wilderness survival savvy out of all of us. He started playing and training himself in Nibel mountains at age 8 - Uncle Rufus said something off hand about not being able to find martial art instructors for Allodo that would stay more than a week. Like I mentioned earlier, Allodo fucking beat down the local wolf population into accepting his territory claim at fourteen, then moved on to _fucking_ dragons.

"He ALSO fucking _made_ Giotto and I go through Turk training at fourteen. Our grad exam at sixteen was One. Nibel. Dragon. Each. That totally sucked. Giotto talked him down to four-man Turk Team Exercises after that, and the trainees and instructors _loved_ him for it."

"Can you take on a dragon by yourself? No?" Rufus shook his head with a small smirk and looked over at Tseng, tutting playfully. "They don't make Turks these days like they used to."

"If you pass, sir, I certainly can do no less." Tseng put the disc away. With Flames, it was certainly possible to take on dragons - but Allodo Shinra's meter was clearly broken if the man had been able to do so BEFORE Flames.

"Is that a challenge, Tseng?" Rufus stands, brushing down the front of his jacket to smooth wrinkles. Dark Nation greets him as he opens the door, and Rufus pets her for being a patient Good Girl. 

"Them old Turk Exam qualifiers were only for the first fucking three years - and the graduation rate was abysmal. Don't push it, Kiddo." G was busy straightening his clothing - collar neatly buttoned, tie and a pair of designer shades he'd taken out of a pocket. He was going to look fucking _professional_ and Scare the Shit out of Riccardo, after all.

Belatedly, Tseng noticed the shades were the same brand Rude favored. Was Rude a closet Legend fanboy? Reno certainly made no secret of his admiration.

Moving to stand by Rufus' side, the guardhound nosed at his favored knee, but Rufus shoos her away. _He's FINE._

"No, sir, unless bed rest is recommended." Tseng notices the interaction, as does Legend.

"Kiddo, if you don't want to show weakness, you might want to practice using Flame to shore up that knee." G stepped in, as a peacemaker to the two cute lovebirds. "It's only a temporary fix, mind. Ends up putting more strain on it and you'll need more time to rest and recover, but good for emergencies."

Rufus gives Tseng an unimpressed look. He's not going on bedrest. He's _fine_, dammit! Giacomo had an acceptable suggestion and Rufus follows that advice instead. Looking down at the limb in question, Rufus concentrates on figuring out how to direct his power and focus on _just his knee_, without burning up clothing. Like an ethereal brace, wrapping around the knee to offer support. It works.

"Good enough." The next step Rufus takes is without limp, as he continues down the hall, Giacomo right behind him at Tseng's usual spot.

Tseng sighs, but falls a step behind Legend to signify the older Turk's seniority. To his surprise, Legend's demeanor _changed_ from lazing Slum goon to professional Turk. Then it occurred to Tseng that _this_ was the Legend the world saw when Giotto Shinra needed a personal and intimidating Turk detail.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, Rufus had a very nice Thursday evening last night with Tseng and guest, after the unscheduled meeting with G. There was a previous appointment with someone Rufus is _courting_ for support. 
> 
> As it's not YET integral to the plot, I'll probably have a mostly PWP Thursday Night threesome series as a separate arc because I find it distracting to read smut in the middle of ACTUAL plot. 
> 
> (And because I'm self conscious about posting self-indulgent smut rp logs, even after heavy editing and cleaning up.)
> 
> Due to his death from Geostigma, Rufus has some eating issues, which is why you'll see Tseng continually trying to feed him throughout this fic. (And is practically a Battle!Butler to Rufus between this and Rufus' body's thermoregulation issues - Rufus wore THREE LAYERS OF SUIT before Geostigma and FIVE after. And probably has like, no FAT insulation layers.) Using Flames is _hard_ on the body and can burn you to skin and bones if you're not properly fueled. 
> 
> On Lazard being Rufus' Nebbia Ring Champion - traditionally in KHR canon, _Nebbia_ tends to be backstabbing bastards with the least loyalty to the _Cielo_. Sound familiar? 
> 
> Oh look, Reno did end up being related to G. Tseng's privately resolved to be far away from those two if he saw them sitting together going over papers for _any reason_.
> 
> And yes, Allodo and Nuvola Flames WAS this BROKEN in KHR canon. FLAMES in general is BROKEN, especially Cielo, Nuvola and Nebbia. There's a Plot Reason WHY, as usual, and Rufus is fucking going to Need EVERY Flame User - not just Ring Champions - that he can get his hands on for what's coming after this Arc. /more evil laughter
> 
> **SOLDIERs CANNOT ignite Flames.** What would have been Flames for them is used to fuel their Enhancements, although quite a few WOULD have been high-level Flame Users if they didn't go through the program. They also are in a whole other bucket of Shit because Planet is Not Nice. 
> 
> Much love and thanks to **CanadianVulcan** who does Rufus Voice for me. Because I STILL can't write his Brat Prince Majesty other than his troll!sarcasm.


	6. Charlie, Turk Rookie "Nunchuck"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> G trolls President Dickhead. 
> 
> Rufus Shinra has _cousins_. One of them is his Turk body double. 
> 
> President Shinra is apparently Firelord Ozai **Levels of Dick** . 
> 
> (I originally thought I can tie this arc off in FIVE parts. Nope, 20+ now hahahaahah I was so NAIVE.)

**[ μ ] - εγλ 1998 July 17th, Friday 12:00 PM - Shinra HQ, 70th Floor Presidential Level**

With _two_ Turks at his side, nobody stops to question Rufus as he steps onto the lift, swiping his keycard. The 70th floor was the top of Shinra HQ tower, thus naturally the home to President Riccardo Shinra's office. Rufus hates this office: it's more like a hospital lobby than anything resembling an actual office. His father's massive desk sits on his left as he enters the barren, open space. A bank of chairs sits on the far right, well out of comfortable speaking _or_ hearing range of the desk. Flanking the banks of chairs are, atrocious security hazards in the form of two open stairwells.

Though they go around the entirety of the perimeter, the windows are surrounded by metal walls and pillars. All of this, of course, is only secondary to the disgustingly cartoonish lines on the floor - Rufus privately thought they resembled Space Invaders. He's going to _remodel_ this office the instant his father is dead. For the moment, Rufus steps forward to the front of his father's desk, Dark Nation and Turks in tow.

"Father," He greets, with no warmth in the outwardly benign smile.

"Ru-" Looking up from his computer, Riccardo Shinra gets half a syllable out before his voice catches, nearly chocking on his own spit.

"**YOU!**" Levelling a finger at Giacomo, he shouts, chubby face flushed in angry red. "What the hell are you doing here?!"

"Just doing my job, sir." Giacomo's voice had lost almost all of its Slum gutter accent, back straight and obviously enjoying every minute of it. "You do pay me a rather _generous_ sum by the hour. I've decided to give you your money's worth."

"_You're_ the reason my son has become a faggot, aren't you?" Riccardo hisses, with too perfect and too white teeth bared. He spits at Giacomo.

"Excuse me?" Rufus' eyebrows shoot up. This was news to him.

"Shut up, boy." His father roars, then refocuses his ire on the older Turk. "You've corrupted him like you corrupted -"

_Giotto Shinra?_ It was too obvious to Rufus, now that he _knew_, the name his father just managed to stop himself from slipping.

"Stay away from my son."

"Why, Riccardo." Legend's attitude changed again, and he performed the most _stereotypical_ gay man's limp wrist flick, ending with his right hand clutched artfully over his heart. "Are you _jealous_? You should know I'm into _older_, manly men - like you."

_Oh, Goddess._ Rufus thinks gleefully to himself. His old man might really have a heart attack - with the way his face had turned a curious shade of red-purple - a combination of fury and disgust.

Using the distraction Legend provided, Tseng observed the president. Riccardo Shinra was not _Pioggia_, Tseng's own Affinity. But yes, there's that same awareness he'd felt of Deusercius, that Tseng now recognizes as _kinship_ to Rufus. And it felt _wrong_ and tainted, unlike the clean feel of the tie between Rufus and Deusercius. 

There was also something _else_ that wasn't kinship ties. Riccardo Shinra felt like Rufus, or Giotto Shinra, or even _Allodo Shinra_ but it wasn't _right_.

_ They just all give you this extreme 'I'm so **Sereno** that it hurts' feeling_, Legend's voice, and there was that same _other_ quality Tseng had seen from the Wutai Monk and Martial Artist Knuckle, the _Sereno_ Flame User in the video. Wrong, all wrong, Tseng's senses _screamed. _

"Tseng, get him out of my office." The President snarls.

_How curious. _ Riccardo Shinra's ire hadn't been directed at _Tseng_, which meant he doesn't know who Rufus was actually sleeping with, only that Rufus was sleeping with _men_, which … honestly shouldn't have been a surprise. He's been fucking sleeping with both genders since he was _fourteen_, for the love of Shiva's tits. 

"Father -" Rufus starts, but the President makes a dismissive _shut up_ gesture at him, making Rufus' hackles rise.

"I'll deal with you after, boy."

Dark Nation's fur also bristles, and Rufus had to bend and stroke her side to calm her. He didn't want to give his father any excuse to have her put down. To put them both in their happy place, Rufus indulges in daydreaming: Dark Nation, hurtling across the desk to rip out the bobbing adam's apple of his Father's throat. Blood gushing everywhere, coating her sleek dark fur as it severs the artery, splattering onto the high ceiling. The chair would topple back, Riccardo Shinra gargling blood and flailing as he struggled to breathe with a mangled trachea, flooded with more blood. The way Dark Nation's tentacle would whip around as she dug in to gain leverage and _break_ that thick neck. Best of all, Riccardo Shinra slowly deflating as his last breath left him, unseeing eyes wide and terrified, fixed upon Rufus - just like how Rufus had seen the body impaled on the Masamune. 

Having calmed both himself and Dark Nation down, Rufus reminds himself that he has to _tolerate_ his father for now. Any rebellion could alert him to Rufus' current schemes - other than having _variant_ tendencies.

Tseng doesn't like leaving Rufus alone, even though there's still Dark Nation. He obeys. Cooperative, Legend play-acts with a convincing pained grunt to the arm-grab and pin. As they fake-tussle out the door, Legend had the unbelievable _gall_ of _simpering_ at the President, blowing a smacking kiss before the door was slammed shut.

He'd made very sure the light caught the Unsealed Red Jewel of the _Tempesta_ Ring on his hand and connected it to Riccardo Shinra's line of sight.

============================

Once outside, Tseng lets go of Legend to let the older Turk hack the security system.

"Nice, kid. Gimme your PHS and let's listen in." Legend left his own PHS looping the surveillance outside the doors to Tseng watching his prone figure. Then he began working on the PHS Tseng handed him.

============================

Rufus spots the flicker of recognition in his father's gaze at the shiny bauble, but that doesn't last long. The President of Shinra turns back to stare down at Rufus, standing to his full height - taller by Rufus by a few inches - his hands braced on his desk. He leans forward, the posture meant to intimidate.

Somehow, Rufus manages not to scoff. He wasn't intimidated, but scoffing would have caused even more problems. Instead, he waits patiently for the tirade to come.

"What's this I hear about you flirting around with _men_ at parties?" Riccardo Shinra growls, nostrils curling in distaste as he spats out the words.

_That was it_?!

The Vice President was stunned, but not by the accusation. He wants to rage and shout back at his father. 

_You're only JUST figuring this out now?_

"How did you find out?" Rufus settles, instead, for the more carefully crafted question as answer. He wasn't going to deny it, of course. He's not going to pretend to be straight just to make his father happy. He likes _both_, a trait he shares with Uncle Giotto. Or rather, neither of them _cared_ about gender - either someone _fit_ their interests, or they don't.

"Doesn't matter." The President sniffs dismissively at his son. "You're going to _stop_ before you shame yourself _and_ this Company!"

"Shame _you_, you mean." Rufus corrects. Nunchuck had been Tseng's recommended Turk body double for his last few excursions, including Nibelheim. Did his father had someone follow Nunchuck? After all, only _three_ parties in one month would have raised some flags, considering Rufus usually had more than double that amount with his weekdays-as-weekends party animal rebellion against his father. He couldn't regret the instructions he left Nunchuck to work with: to flirt with _all_ interested parties, because it would have been out of character for Rufus to suddenly pick only one team. Nunchuck couldn't have done anything _too_ risqué, though, so his father probably invented some grandiose hyperbole based on minimal facts, like he always did.

The comment sets Riccardo Shinra off again, but this time, he comes around the desk to crowd Rufus' personal space, bulky frame dwarfing his son's slender one. A heavy hand settles on Rufus' left shoulder, squeezing harshly as he squint-stares Rufus in the eyes.

"You will find a suitable _woman_ of good public standing and you will _court_ her. If I hear any more about this - this _faggotry_, I'll beat some damned common sense into you myself." The President's voice was low and threatening.

The _Cielo_ bracing trick from Giacomo holds, bearing up the weight as Rufus stares at the hand on his shoulder, then back to his father.

"I'll court an upstanding woman _if_ I feel like it. I'll also court an upstanding man if I feel like it. I'm not going to have some _sham_ of a public relationship just so you can smile to the papers," Rufus snipes back, brows furrowed angrily. "And tell them how _happy_ you are for me."

============================

"Awww." Legend coos at the phone and grins at Tseng. "Isn't that sweet? I bet he's even got the rings picked out."

_Definitely Reno-esque humor._ Feeling the weight of th _Pioggia_ Ring on his left forefinger, Tseng kept his expression impassive at the teasing. 

============================

"Do _not_ test my patience with you, _son_," Riccardo Shinra hisses, grip tightening on Rufus' shoulder and sending an arc of pain up Rufus' collarbone and down the left arm. Rufus reaches up, to try and break the hold by grabbing his father's wrist, but instead had his own right wrist caught up in an unyielding grasp. 

"What the hell is this?" Riccardo demands, eyeballing the matte black metal ring with its dull black round gem in the centre. His grips tightens on his son's right wrist, forcing the hand to open so he can pry at the ring. "A gift from one of your _boytoys_?"

_I can't let him have the Cielo Ring!_ Rufus lets out a pained gasp of surprise. He _cannot_ let Riccardo Shinra find out what it is, so he _reacts_ on instinct and remembered Turk training from Tseng. Planting one foot firmly on the floor, the other leg _knees_ his father in the gut. The effect is immediate: the President doubles over with a startled snarl, losing his grip on Rufus' arms. Gasping for breath, he clutches instead at his stomach.

"Down!" As Dark Nation surges forward, Rufus barely grabs her by the collar in time, commanding. She obeys with reluctance, growling softly all the while. As the Vice President backs away from his father, the guardhound follows, guarding him from further attack.

"I'm going back to my office." Rufus announced, voice cool and detached as he steps into the elevator. "I have paperwork to finish and I'd thank you not to bother me except for something that's actually _important_ and work related."

After another swipe of his keycard, Rufus can see his father still wheezing for breath as the elevator doors close. Letting out the slow breath he'd been holding himself, Rufus collapses onto his good knee as the right one gives out, _Cielo_ brace spent. 

"Shit."

============================

**[ μ ] - εγλ 1998 July 17th, Friday 12:30 PM - Shinra HQ, Stairwell **

"Can you tell which floor he's headed?" Tseng asked Legend as they both took the stairs. Legend shakes his head.

"He pressed on more than one button after using his keycard. 66th is the highest one."

Seeing Legend use red _Tempesta_ to enhance his speed, overtaking Tseng down the stairwell, the younger Turk tries to copy his example. It seemed that _desperation_ was also fuel to Flames, a detached part of Tseng's mind notes when he succeeded on the first try, keeping it under the skin without losing clothing. He doesn't pass Legend, as the man gets too impatient, _leaping_ over the railings. The older Turk was as agile as a monkey with _Tempesta_ enhancement, letting gloved hands take the punishment of friction as he swung down to the 66th floor.

_Executive Level, huh. Well, at least this level has a bathroom. _ Punching the down button, G waits for the first set of elevator door to open.

============================

**[ μ ] - εγλ 1998 July 17th, Friday 12:45 PM - Shinra HQ, 66th Floor Executive Offices **

Sitting on the elevator floor with Dark Nation nosing at him in worry, Rufus was surprised when the door opens and Giacomo stood there with a friendly wave. Then he catches on.

"Listening in, were you?" Looking up at the redheaded man, he manages a lopsided smile despite the pain. Rufus decided he really shouldn't be surprised - Giotto Shinra's best friend evidently had a mother-hen streak as wide as Tseng's or Rude's. Bracing against Dark Nation, Rufus forces himself to stand. His office is also on this floor, so at least that's convenient.

"Gimme your hand, Kiddo." G takes Rufus' arm, putting it about his shoulders without asking further permission. "Next time, call - your bright little Wutai Turk was out of his mind with worry."

The stairwell door opens just then, proving Giacomo's words. 

"Sir, do you require assistance?" Tseng was there, looking flushed as he dispels blue _Pioggia_ about his legs.

"So polite. I'd have just bundled Giotto over my shoulder if he pulls this kind of Shit - provided there were no witnesses."

"Maybe you should both be glad I didn't shoot him, instead." Rufus wasn't really angry at either of them, chuckling quietly. He allowed Giacomo to bear some of his weight. "I'm _fine_. Just did a little more kickboxing than I expected to."

"Uh-huh. You were already favoring that leg at Giotto's place last night." Giacomo pointed out. "Kiddo, Flames are useful but they're _fucking_ hard on your body, especially for beginners."

Shifting position, Legend let Tseng take point guard as he kept his voice out of immediate hearing range.

"I REALLY ought to finish that Recurve Bow upgrade so I can fucking carry it in my pocket like a handgun." Legend groused, "ANYHOW, there's an advanced state of BEING, a mindset to the initial ignition where you're just _there_. Like fucking Allodo on a regular day, all logic and ice and _everything_ so fucking clear you just _know_ the next step to take. You almost hit that, Kiddo, and you should be glad you didn't.

"Giotto was the first of us who got there, and when he came out of it twenty minutes after, he collapsed with _every_ muscle cramping up in pain. It was also FUCKING SCARY seeing him _act_ like Allodo for those twenty minutes. Near as we can put the facts together later, _Allodo's always been in that state without Flames_, so that's WHY he was the one who learnt Flames and control the quickest DESPITE being dual Affinity."

"Hence the emphasis on being physically fit and in training." Tseng makes sure Dark Nation was also inside before closing the door to Rufus' office.

"Yeah. Allodo cranked everyone's training, especially Giotto's, up to ELEVEN because he _expected_ all of us to hit it, which we did. He forced Giotto to train even on days when Giotto was crying over the pain, it was BAD, but it worked. I went through it too, but apart from Allodo OR Giotto no one could hold that state longer than thirty minutes. It's _extremely_ draining on Flames, _even with the original Rings_. Being in top shape and staying in Allodo's Wish-You-Were-Dead training regime really helped on the mana-burn."

"It just means I _don't_ have time to slouch on my training with the Turks." Rufus says. With Giacomo's help, he hobbles his way to his desk and slumps into the ergonomic chair with a pained hiss. Rubbing at his knee, Rufus massages on either side as he tries to get the muscles to _stop_ cramping painfully.

"Tseng, my father is a _moron_." Rufus knows it means he should really be eating more, especially proteins even if he had to force it down. And probably staying off his leg for a bit - he pointedly avoids Tseng's accusing stare as he switches topics. "He has no idea I'm with you, which means he'll probably ask _you_ to report to him as my handler. Make sure you tell him I'm too busy smooching all the boys to get into trouble. Well, _non-homosexual_ kinds of trouble." 

"Yep, Kiddo - that's why I booked a sparring and training partner for your Shiny New Undercover Mission to Wutai." G was referring to Rufus' proposed switch with Nunchuck - while the Turk body doubled for Rufus in Midgar, Rufus would assume his identity for the Wutai Extraction Mission for Felicia. Apart from rescuing Veld's daughter, it was also vital for Rufus to make contact with his Uncles' Wutai connections - the ones that Lazard attempted to appropriate but had instead found AVALANCHE.

"We'll need to collaborate with Nunchuck on that part." Tseng said absently, kneeling to massage Rufus' leg and knee again. Since adding _Pioggia_ had helped with slowing the headache earlier, he tries it again and was rewarded by a wheeze of relief from Rufus. "His last body double report also said he needed a little help identifying who you'd have bedded, for authenticity."

_I have to start keeping this office well stocked with protein bars, ethers and elixirs at this rate._

As if on cue, there's a timid knock on the door.

"Come on in, Charlie, you're just in time." Legend says as if he owned the office and not Rufus, throwing open the door.

"Uncle G? You're here too?" A curly blonde head pokes in, wide blue eyes too innocent for that Turk suit he wore, nunchucks carried on a waist belt. After closing the door behind his entry, he salutes Rufus with the perky enthusiasm of a newly ordained Turk Rookie. "Nunchuck reporting for duty, Vice President, Sir!"

"Say hi to your cousin, Charlie - we finally got caught up on Family History."

Rufus lifts his hand to Nunchuck - Charlie - in a tired wave, then he rests it back down on Dark Nation's ear, massaging it gently. The guardhound had come to set her head on Rufus' thigh, whuffling in distress as she licked at his knee in an attempt to make it better. While Rufus appreciated that _his_ Turks operated with the efficiency of clockwork when it came to _timing_ \- sometimes he just wanted a moment to do _nothing._

"Charlie." He looked the sixteen year old boy up and down. Giotto Shinra's illegimate firstborn, only two years younger than Rufus. The Vice President hadn't really had the chance to properly greet him, since the Turk's assignment as his body double a month ago. "... I'm not particularly looking forward to curling my hair."

"You probably won't need to, sir." Charlie said in a too bright voice. "I mean, the Wutai thought Director _Lazard_ was you, and _he_ didn't need to straighten his hair. I think they could only tell Uncle Allodo from _other_ blondes because he had Silver Demon hair with that white-gold shade."

Tseng's eyes narrow. Nunchuck - or rather, Charlie - was a very good actor. He should probably review the party surveillance tapes to see just _exactly_ how the Turk Rookie played Rufus. With surprising authenticity, he suspects.

"Drop the innocent act, Charlie." Legend sighed. Charlie still wasn't sure it was safe, and he couldn't really blame him. "It might get you dates with older chicks, but it's a bit cloying to talk business."

"Sorry, Uncle G." The expression shifts, and suddenly Charlie looked more _impish_ than angelic. "I got too used to doing that since Da was such a public figure and bleeding heart, so people had _expectations_. Let me know how much professional distance you want, sir - I understand if you don't want to associate on a personal level just because of shared blood."

"Perhaps just focus on being a _Turk_ for now, Nunchuck." Rufus tells Charlie. He's not entirely sure how close he wants his cousin, either. He suddenly has too much family, both dead and alive. And the two he'd known about prior to this - his own father and Lazard - he hadn't liked one bit. Then there was Cloud fucking Strife, and he hadn't liked the adult version of Cloud in his other life. The current twelve year old Turk Trainee and Animal Handler to Dark Nation that worshipped his Cool Cousin Rufus? He still wasn't sure about. Rufus Shinra just hadn't had a good track record with family.

Turks, however, were a different story.

"Yes, sir. I actually have two routines for yourself now - one for your father, and one for general appearances. Your father seems particularly taken with the Good Son act, but it might not be sustainable for you in person, sir. Let me know if you'd like me to change."

Charlie's code name should have been Chameleon - Tseng notes - gone was the fresh faced Rookie and the Curious Cousin, replaced by a Turk as professional as any. 

"Did you notice anyone suspicious at the last party?" Rufus asks. "You may have been snooped on. It's not a problem, I just want to know who my father might be using to watch me."

It honestly could just have been some new, young blonde secretary his Father was fucking, but it was still better to know.

"There were a couple of the Palmer cousins there - a bit more _clingy_ than my briefing, but since they thought dressing like Director Scarlet was an asset I told them off." Nunchuck licked his lips, brow furrowed and thinking. "A few New Money hangers on that came in as plus ones to the regulars. And Director Scarlet with Jakob Heidigger, one of Director Heidigger's nephews. They were rather … persistent in your opinions on Director Deusericus.

"I kissed a redhead with a superficial resemblance to Reno but _shy_, because I thought you would've, sir, if only to amuse yourself. He was terribly embarrassed and straight. I told him he shouldn't come to places like this if he didn't expect to be bait for both teams."

"Palmer is enough of a kiss ass that he would use his cousins as informants in order to get more funding." Rufus hums as he thinks, musing. "Then again, the trait may simply run in the family. They might just be looking for an in for employment. Scarlet isn't to be discounted - I'm sure she's still smarting from my last rejection."

Sucking on his teeth, Rufus smiles wickedly. He does _very much approve_ of the way Nunchuck handled that redhead.

"I'm going to need you to up your ratio of boys. My father seems to think he can scare me straight, and I'd very much like for him to know that I'm not interested in his homophobic bigotry."

"Sir, just _how far_ do you want me to go?" Nunchuck let a bit of his reservation show. "Because I'll need to adjust the Reformed Good Son act to Good Son but Terribly Disappointed in His Father and not Wanting to Repeat His Mistakes. Some angry defensive lines about being a spare for Director Deusericus, calculated accusations about not being loved as a son, just as genetic material to continue the Mighty Shinra name. That the funding gone to Science Dept should be enough to custom order a baker's dozen of designer Shinra brats - this sound good to you, sir?"

"Mm, no, leave Lazard out of it. If it does come to light that he's my half brother, say that I knew, but wanted to protect him. Add that my father is a homophobic chauvinist to your rumours and seed sowing. Midgar as a whole is very tolerant, and it'll hurt his reputation." After all, who wants to be under the thumb of such a closed-minded bigot? It wasn't even a lie.

"'Kay, pretend I don't know about Director Deusericus." Nunchuck made mental notes. "You know, sir, this routine could be a bit flexible if you'd show some weakness. Not publically! I mean, make it seem _special_, like you only do it for that person sort of thing. I would put it as a 'can I do this?' in my report and get permission first, not a regular act at all.

"Another thing, Sir - I'm _only sixteen_. Like I know the theory but I haven't actually _done_ anything thanks to both Uncle G and Director Veld protecting me. And most of the people at these parties make my skin crawl. The only one that was even a possibility was that redhead, and he's straight. I'll do what I have to, but honestly _most of the Turks_ make me feel too incestuous to ask, and I'd probably freak them out that the Baby Turk's growing up. Director Veld only put me on the active roster lately as the Bored Rich Kid who joined the Turks for Thrills, but I've actually been here since I was _five_ and only visited Mum once a year."

"You're not required to sleep with anyone. If it does come to that, take one to the bedroom, drugged. Let them wake up naked and draw their own conclusions. They'll invent a story about how amazing the sex was all on their own." It's happened before, when Rufus didn't feel like fucking anyone but had to keep up appearances about his virility.

"Gotcha, sir." Nunchuck nods to the setup advice then suddenly turns a familiar, mischievious grin on Rufus. "I do know how to use toys … Hey sir, you're bigger than me, right? Do you have anything custom molded so you don't disappoint even if you're not there?"

Tseng chokes and glares at Rufus - this was going to give him ideas, the Turk was sure.

"What have you been watching, Charlie?" Legend was guffawing. "I didn't teach you that!"

"Reno passed me a copy of this disk he downloaded, Uncle G. I think he swiped the VP's PornHub password."

Rufus opens his mouth to say something, then closes it again. Letting his breath out through his nose and glaring up at the ceiling, he suppresses the urge to send Tseng on assignment to throttle Reno.

"I'll have something sent your way." He murmurs, sounding more amused than he ought to be. Or rather, he'd let _Tseng_ help him pick out something at the sex shop. Honestly, Rufus wasn't going to get a mold of his _dick_ made, no matter who asked.

Alright, maybe if Tseng asked very sweetly. Not likely given the glare, but he can dream. There were few exceptions and Rufus Shinra is not having some mold of his dick running around fucking strangers without his knowledge. And Goddess forbid someone like _RENO_ get his hands on it.

"Thanks, sir, here's my PHS number." A small buzz bounced on Rufus'.

**'Aye aye sir Nunchuck reporting! (=ↀωↀ=)✧'**

Rufus squints at the text message on his phone, trying to figure out what the unholy Hel that emoji was supposed to be. A... cat face? Is that what it was? He decided that he doesn't want to be texting buddies with Nunchuck, training assignations aside.

"Charlie, don't forget the family shares." G prodded the perky kid Turk with a shoe.

"Sir, I've got 5% Shinra Electric Power Company stock, Class B preferred non-voting, and it's why the President wants me dead since I was five." Nunchuck spread his hands, looking resigned. "Mum didn't want to marry Da, but did _want_ me, so Da thought he was doing the right thing to provide for my future. Thing is, _I don't need it_ and you'll get more mileage out of it. The President took the rest of Da's 15% when he was declared dead."

"I can see why that would put a target on your back," Rufus agreed - he'd have been only seven when Charlie was put with the Turks. 

"His mother's one of the Mars family heiresses from Bone Village, Old Money - Carissa Mars. The _one_ time Giotto went to an orgy without me chaperoning, he ran out of condoms." G clarified, sighing also. "Charlie was an Oops baby, he's stayed under the radar this long because he's using the Mars name, plus Veld locked his Turk Trainee files."

While Rufus already had a target on his own back, it was there because he was the Shinra Heir, so the shares wouldn't have mattered either way. And the boy was right: They would be much more useful to Rufus. As Nunchuck, he already had a decent Turk's wages, judging by his performance - and as Charlie Mars, his inheritance as the only child of his mother would have been considerable. 

"Send me the paperwork for the transfer and I'll sign it." Rufus says. "Thank you - I'll make sure my father gets a copy so you're off the hook."

"I'm still a minor so Mum needs to co-sign." Nunchuck nods. "She's got all the paperwork ready for this eventuality. I just need to sign and date it the next time I see her, maybe even have her come down with it while you're away and I'm on duty. Sir - could you, urm, bring me photos? Director Veld told me that Da has kids in Wutai, and so does Uncle Allodo."

"I'll be going too, Charlie, I'll bring you photos." G musses Charlie's hair, then looks to Tseng. "What do you think, anything?"

Tseng shook his head. Nunchuck had that same _kinship_ feeling as Deusericus' link to Rufus, but whatever Affinity the boy had felt _muted_. Not like Legend, or the _vibrancy_ of Giotto Shinra and his friends, or Allodo Shinra - even though it was only viewed through a decades old video. Director Deusericus had also felt far more distinct. And unlike Deusericus, Nunchuk hadn't paid attention at all to the remaining Rings in Rufus' pocket - or the ones being worn by the Ring Champions in the room.

"Thought not." Legend sighs, half in disappointment and half in relief. "Allodo didn't give Veld clearance, so whatever Veld knows is only old Turk gossip. Ugetsu was the second most perceptive after Giotto, good to know you've got it too.

"'K, Charlie - you can go now. I got some stuff to talk that's over your clearance."

While it's unfortuneate that Nunchuck proved the exception to Shinra men being strong in Flames, Rufus wasn't too disappointed. There's plenty of other Turks and the Vice President would rather a sixteen year old boy not be involved in the _craziness_ that this is. With uncharacteristic charity, Rufus thought that Charlie had enough on his plate, from growing up in the Turks at such a young age.

"'K - Sir? Lemme know when you want to set up training, I sent you my schedule, too."

"I'll also send you photos that Giacomo misses." Rufus smiles, promising Nunchuck - who lit visibly up at his words, the genuine expression making the resemblance to Giotto Shinra unmistakable. "And I'll let you know about the training - the Turks will all be involved, eventually."

Maybe the shield training would be the best to start with, apart from the other control and stamina-building exercises. Rufus wouldn't have to do anything with his knee. Essentially he could just sit there and harmonize with Tseng.

"Thanks, Sir." Nunchuck gave another salute and whistles to Dark Nation, who stares at him curiously. "Cloud told me it's time for her feeding on my way down. I'm to take her with me, for bonding stuff. I promise to learn all about guardhound care!"

"It's been good to properly talk with you, Nunchuck." Rufus adds as an afterthought, giving Dark Nation the command to follow. _He'll do._

============================

"Alright. Serious Flame Shit." Giacomo looked at Rufus, but he was also asking Tseng. "What did you pick up from Riccardo, Kiddos?"

"I think he _is_ Cielo." Tseng said grimly. "But I'm not sure if I'm reading other things correctly. It might be that a _Cielo_ also _needs_ support from other Flame Users - there's a _wrongness_ like yours, Legend - before you taught the Vice President. There's also a feeling of _other_, like Allodo Shinra - I wouldn't have been able to say this before seeing your video today. The President might be _dual Affinity_. If that's the case, my impression of the other possibility isn't good. My guess is either _Nuvola_ or _Sereno_."

"I agree he's likely dominant in _Cielo_," Rufus says. He doesn't have enough _context_ to know what he was actually reading - and he hadn't Tseng's sensitivity. Whatever he got was likely due to their shared _Cielo_. "But it's definitely a mess. I got a good sense of it when he grabbed my wrist - it felt sort of like … contamination?"

"Yeah, DEFINITELY more training, if you wanted to go Flame to Flame." Giacomo hissed. "If he's a _Cielo_ that can self-heal or Propagate spells."

"He tried to take my Ring, but I don't think he recognized it in Sealed state." Which was a damned good thing - Rufus needed to be more careful. While it was a pity, it was safer for Tseng too, now that the Rings were Sealed. Rufus had noticed how much the Unsealed blue of the _Pioggia_ Ring's Jewel matched the _Cielo_ Ring's round blue gem. Goddess forbid that Riccardo thought Rufus and Tseng had secretly _married_.

"That's it, decoy time." Giacomo also agreed, tossing two smaller ring boxes, one each to Tseng and to Rufus. "These are both B-rank Copies, quarter the strength of Sealed originals. Sorry kids, they look like the Unsealed bling-bling version. Wear the real ones on a neck chain or something.

"I think he _did_ take the S-rank _Cielo_ copy Giotto lost then, timing would be about right. If he -" A stricken expression comes over Giacomo's face. "That fucking _bastard_. He _did_ kill Helena."

Rufus was just about to question the wisdom of a _more visible_ and recognizable version of the Rings, even as a decoy, when Giacomo derails the conversation entirely.

"What?" That seemed like an interesting conclusion to suddenly come to.

"I didn't tell anyone this, but before Spade vanished with it - I checked Helena's body in the morgue." Giacomo started pacing restlessly in a circle. "There was the _feel_ of _Cielo_ all over her, Giotto's and _someone else's_, only I thought it was the baby's or Giotto's combined with Helena's _Sereno_, to explain the flavor change. I figured she'd died because Giotto tried one of his crazy stunts again, like the time he saved my life, and when he tried to extend your grandfather's.

"I didn't tell anyone because I thought _Giotto finally messed up_ and it DIDN'T work. Because that second _Cielo_ was also _all over your grandfather's body_, and Uncle Rufus died after Allodo tossed Giotto's ass back to his own hospital bed. I didn't THINK. It _wasn't_ Giotto's Flames messing up when trying to combine with another's life-force. I didn't think - we ALL didn't think to look at the other side of what _Cielo_ could do."

A Flame that could absorb or feed other Flames. A Flame that could _absorb mako_. Mako was part of the Lifestream. What were Flames made out of? Taken to its logical conclusion, what answer would you arrive at?

"... _Cielo_ can **drain** life-force?!" Tseng thought back to the breathtaking view of Giotto's _Cielo_, effortlessly absorbing and sending back energy. A Flame that could absorb **mako** as well as other Flames. If it can also _extract_ from the source instead of just externalized energy ….

"So he could do the same to any of us if he realized we're .. _problematic_." Rufus says with a frown. "It's becoming more important to kill him quickly."

Wutai Extraction first, rescue Felicia and secure Veld's loyalty. Then Sephiroth's loyalty, next - even if Lazard won't put full SOLDIER backing on Rufus, he'll have the one SOLDIER that mattered.

"He'd have to go through ME first." G snarled. "Riccardo is a fucking coward at heart. Take today - if he _dared_, he could have just ordered all of you out and put me in the same room with him, if he's THAT powerful. After all, I had both the _Tempesta_ Ring and the biggest known source of it. He kicked me OFF the Director's Board because I _demonstrated_ a preview of the Midgar Pyre plans I gave you - with _Tempesta_ Flame-bombs."

"... Legend, Flames do seem to be inherited, as per your theory." To calm him down, Tseng splashed him with a dose of _Pioggia_. "If we assume the President to be _Cielo_, that's already THREE in the same family in two generations. Father and son, brother and brother. The President himself has at least two sons with Ring Champion strength Affinity. And Allodo Shinra was also Ring-level strength, if different Flames - _what if the elder Rufus Shinra was a potential_?"

"Meaning my father murdered _his_ father." Rufus said sarcastically. "Good to know patricide runs in the family. So, if he drained my grandfather, Helena, and potentially others, would they _linger_?"

It would certainly EXPLAIN the mess he'd felt from his father - which was a swirl of feeble, conflicting energies.

"It could, remember how I showed you combining Flames, to make use of my _Tempesta_'s Disintegration Affinity?" Giacomo looked sickened by the very thought, but continued. "He would be _hoarding_ them because once they're gone, he'd need to rip another one. It wouldn't occur to him to _cooperate_. One of the Turk girls after Windy, a presidential handler named Mags - she died of spontaneous heart failure in his suite. Riccardo used her death as the excuse for the Second Turk Purge. She had always felt … a bit like Allodo to me. 

"FUCK. Screw secrecy and clearance level. We NEED to bring Veld in on this. BOTH Windy and Emma are at risk _if they don't know_.

"This is where that fucker Spade would REALLY be useful now. He could just skip into Riccardo's fucking neuroses and make him dream screaming nightmares for days, except there's no way to _prove_ it to him even if he's around!"

So, his father can murder without a trace. No one except Flame Users would guess what happened, and even then, _they couldn't prove it_. This was just fantastic. Not only that, he _keeps_ the powers of the people he kills.

"Theoretically, he could keep building up his personal power by killing more Flame Users or potentials?" Rufus pinched the bridge of his nose. 

Would Riccardo Shinra become harder to kill the longer they leave it? Would he go after new Flame Users they identify and train? This was turning into a right _mess_.

"There's an upper limit, fortuneately." Giacomo shook his head. "Giotto's mako poisoning, remember? And Giotto had the highest mana capacity I knew of - the next was Allodo, who used it like it was MORE because of his Propagation. It still means fucking Riccardo's probably close, on par with either of them. Especially if he's ripped _Nuvola_ from Mags. He'd have to keep dropping his mana reserves to hold something _else_, to avoid mako poisoning.

"Even if we can't convince Spade, assuming we find him - we need to make sure he's not in contact with or _teaching_ Riccardo. Because I snuck a look at the other file Windy had your Tseng pass to Veld, and I think I know what Riccardo's End Game is. He's probably planning to use up Pinky's _Nebbia_ to gain control of your body. And to do that, he needs Spade's help."

"Excuse me, _my body?_" Rufus throws up his hands in frustration. Why does everybody want his body for something? "He can't have it. _I'm_ using it. Besides, what would Spade do with it? To him, I'm just a spoiled brat who might not even inherit the Company."

"You're young, fit, the _legitimate_ Heir Apparent and you're also _Cielo_. I don't think either Riccardo or Spade'd want to give up that advantage." Giacomo says. "Spade, even without the _Nebbia_ Ring - he can 'borrow' other people's bodies. Has to stash his own somewhere when he does it, but he used to have a _whole spy network_ made up of his marked agents that he 'checks in' periodically - like possession."

"How did none of this happen the first time around?" Rufus mumbles in frustration, pressing fingers to his temple. How had it been so relatively _simple_ the first time? Sephiroth had stabbed his father like it was no big deal, and none of this FLAME SHIT ever became a problem. Spade had never come after him.

"The first time around?" Legend put both hands to Rufus' head before Tseng could, still in his lower position tending to Rufus' knee. It was a practiced massage, intended to be headache relieving - something that was probably long habit between Legend and Giotto, Legend acting as Giotto's personal Turk detail - and lover. "What are you talking about? Something you're not telling me, Kiddo?"

"This is actually my second time living through this life, as of about … oh, a month ago." To Hel with it, Rufus decides to trust Giacomo. The man could have killed him several times over, teaching Flames - and he didn't. He'd given away to Rufus priceless Rings of Power, the keys to defending Midgar and Junon to without asking anything more than Riccardo Shinra's death. It was madness, it was crazy, it was JUST THE SORT OF SHIT the best friend of his equally crazy Uncle Giotto would do. So Rufus filled Giacomo in on EVERYTHING, the set of events in his own timeline, from the Mass SOLDIER Desertion to end of Wutai War, Nibelheim to AVALANCHE and Meteorfall, culminating in the Geostigma that led to his death at the ripe old age of twenty-nine. An _abridged_ version, naturally, since the whole shebang would take a FUCK of a lot longer than Rufus was willing to waste breath for right now.

"So, like I said, _none of this_ was even a problem last time. Now that I'm disturbing the waters, things are coming up from the deep." He didn't even have time to go over WEAPONs, for fuck's sake.

"That's ... quite a story, Kiddo. Sounds like with some of the Shit that went down, you guys could really have used me." Legend sat back, chewing on the end of his cigarette. Tseng noticed he didn't outright disbelieve Rufus. "But it makes too much sense. If you hadn't gone to Nibelheim and brought back Vinnie, a LOT would have been just _gone_, from what you told me. I mean, that was the Shinra _family_ Mansion. Windy was after my time, but from what I saw of her work, she was no slouch at intel-gathering. But she's not a heavy hitter - no match for any SOLDIER, even 3rd Class. 

"And if you hadn't called the Turk meeting with Veld, I'd have taken off to Wutai with Charlie in six months, as I'd originally planned. _I wouldn't have been around._ Somebody obviously found my Midgar Pyre plans and made use of it - might even have been fucking Riccardo since it was split between Turks and AVALANCHE. Spade would've been easy to neutralize - he's _helpless_ when he's using someone else's body, so he always had safeguards when he did that. If somebody had an axe to grind and found his body, he's toast. Heck, I could have been the one who'd done him in.

"As for Riccardo's original manner of death - that has me stumped. But Sephiroth was _dead_ when he killed Riccardo, so maybe there _wasn't_ anything for Riccardo to absorb?"

"No use speculating when there's still so much to be done. The first order of business is still Wutai. While I'm gone, I need the Turks to keep an eye on my father - and Lazard." Honestly, family was the _worst_. Turks were so much better.

"That's why I said to bring Veld in _now_." Giacomo sighed in exasperation, more at himself than at Rufus. "Allodo was fucking right - and I was wrong. A team of combat medic monks would be _really_ helpful, Turk or not. Especially with how easily spotted they are, even untrained in Flames."

"Sir - " Tseng couldn't help his long habit of planning for the worst case scenario. "We'll need to watch for more differences than your timeline. There's already more than just yourself who _remembers_."

Rufus, Aerith - Tseng himself afflicted with twenty-eight years that he had yet to live. Distant like a dream, immediate like a nightmare, ending at the memory of the other, older Tseng falling, falling into unconscious dark at the pained cry of Rufus' son calling his name.

"Make the report to Veld." Rufus orders Tseng. Veld can handle the arrangements of watching the President. "I really do have paperwork to do." He adds with a groan, looking at the reports on his desk. At least he remembers which ones panned out and which ones he should use for tinder.

"Want help?" Giacomo offers. "I _was_ a Department Director. Fucking hated it but I do know how to write polite office bullshit like the worst of them."

"You should go help Tseng make the report," Rufus appreciates the offer, but the man's time was better used elsewhere for furthering Rufus' ambitions. "I won't be so easily defeated by mere paperwork."

"Not even when I can make paperwork disappear and you can claim you never received it?" But Giacomo starts heading out to the door. "About those decoys - they're more _delicate_. I figured you can use them to make Riccardo think the originals finally _broke_ \- or set it up for Riccardo to make it seem you never had the originals to begin with."

Tseng blinks. Legend _was_ devious, if more than a bit scattershot in his focus. He needed to remember not to underestimate the older Turk given his resemblance and possible blood relationship to Reno. Legend had obviously passed on his acting skills to Nunchuck, and used his own careless Slum goon act much the same way in disarming others to his threat. 

"I'll send Reno and Rude to you, then, sir."

_Along with lunch, a knee brace and Cure materia._ Tseng fretted at the lack of care Rufus had over his own body, and he knew Rufus wasn't going to go to Medical for treatment. Not this soon after Nibelheim. And Rufus still refused to trust the other Turks with his personal safety, apart from the ones he _knew_, when Tseng was needed elsewhere. Though it seems Legend now has been added to the 'trusted Turk' roster alongside Reno and Rude. 

_Elena isn't old enough yet._ For serving as Rufus' Turk detail, that is. Ten was young for a Turk Trainee, but Elena would not be out of place. Not with twelve year old Strife's recent addition and thirteen year old Shuriken's activation to _full Turk duty_. Judging from the revelations of Nunchuck's history, _age exception_ could be made if presented to Veld properly. And Elena had been Legend's _Tempesta_ successor in the older Tseng's memories.

_I'll need to figure out an argument to convince Sergeant Luis Pellegrini._ The respected Shinra Military School senior Instructor was both Gun and Elena's father - and another one of Allodo Shinra's retired Old Guard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What the [Rings look like UnSealed](https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/katekyo-hitman-reborn-vongola-ring-411389251). _Cielo_ is the only one with a round gem. Tseng's blue _Pioggia_ is to the right of _Cielo_ \- see how NONE of the others even come close to matching that shade of blue? I swear I didn't do it on purpose either XD 
> 
> (Lazard's _Nebbia_ is the violet one right below Tseng's, and G's _Tempesta_ to his left.)
> 
> G currently has ALL the Rings except his own Red _Tempesta_ [Sealed to simple Shield Crests](https://otsukai.manga.tokyo/item/3861)\- they can only reach about a quarter of the original optimum output while Sealed, but it won't hold if the Flame User goes PAST that limit when using Flames. He didn't feel like taking the two minute transition to crack the Seal in case of emergencies, and since Rufus & Co. don't have much stamina yet, G's Sealed their Rings to reduce risks of overuse - and because Dickhead President has never seen the SEALED versions of the Rings. _Fulmine_ is the only one G hasn't touched, and still under original Ancient Seal.
> 
> (From left to right - Top row: Tempesta, Fulmine, Sereno. Middle row: Pioggia, Nuvola, Nebbia. Bottom row: Cielo)
> 
> My Friendly Rufus Voice would like to point out how FUCKING IMPRACTICAL and insecure the President's office IS. Granpa Shinra probably used it originally as an reception area for the roof helicopter landings, and had a smaller office or whole office floor on the executive levels, like how Lazard has his own office floor for SOLDIER dept.
> 
> For the few of you coming from KHR fandom side: Yeah, this is my take on Dying Will Mode and Hyper Dying Will Mode. It makes Too Much Fucking Sense if Alaude/Alaudi AND Hibari are in this state ALL THE TIME before Flames. Damn Carnivores.
> 
> About Nunchuck/Charlie:
> 
> VII Compilation and bonus materials-wise; Nunchuck is one of the last BC Turks not to have an 'official' name - the other two are Knife and Legend. 
> 
> (Thanks to Madhouse' Production Sketches for the FFVII OVA Last Order, all the other BC Turks do.) 
> 
> My Charlie's last name, Mars; comes from one of the richest Old Money families in the USA. Because it fit so WELL thematically with another surname known to exist in VII, I sourced it to the Bone Village Old Money background he's supposed to be from. 
> 
> In this 'Verse, "Bored Rich Kid joins Turks" is Veld's cover story for him - he is VERY close to his character concept in BC - except he pulls the Baby Turk act to both appear harmless and from personal hang-ups on his parents' sex lives. Mum Carissa Mars wanted to keep the baby but not the man. Her words were "Giotto might be the most tender filet mignon in existence, but sometimes you've just GOT to have lobster." /Facepalm
> 
> Daddy Giotto's name vote was actually the Italian variant _Carlos_; but Mum Carissa veto'ed it. "MY baby's a sweetheart! That sounds like a Mafioso name! He's _Charlie_, end of story!"
> 
> And Baby Charlie is as Turk as they come, especially after his Flame upgrade in a few chapters - while he's the lowest Flame potency of the Shinra blood in this Verse at C-rank (approx. 12.5% of Lazard or Rufus' Ring Champion/S rank baseline), he uses what he's got _thoroughly_.  
  
On BC Turks/Original Game Turks' ages:
> 
> Due to the way this 'Verse is set up so early in pre-canon, Reno's only sixteen, like Charlie - but far more worldly and previously fuck-buddies with 18!Rufus before 29!Rufus showed up. Rude isn't much older, 18 at most. Cissnei is _thirteen_, same age as Aerith - because she's canonically the YOUNGEST from the orphanages to have ever made full Turk instead of just Trainee. Knife is in the 15-16 range, she just looks younger due to her stature. Rest of the BC Turks are 19+ including Gun/Emma, hence why Gun has more Seniority than Reno this verse. Rufus has been aged up to 18 because canon isn't consistent on his actual age either; he's either 12 or 15 now based on Compilation Ultimania or OTWTAS Case of Shinra. :/ SQUEENIX GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER for the REMAKE BOOT PLZ.
> 
> President Dickhead is a Human Big Bad alongside Hojo, but they won't be the only ones. It's still not WHOLLY his fault but OMG he did help to make everything worse. And yeah, here's the OTHER Can of Worms about Cielo Users being able to absorb mako/materia. Plus Spade and the Illusion/Mind control/Nebbia Shit he does? Pretty much Jenova-spawn shenanigans, but NOT IN THE WAY YOU'D THINK. 
> 
> Rufus also has serious Trust Issues with anyone who isn't a Turk - and even with Turks, he's STILL mostly sticking to the four he knows best.


	7. Rings of Fire: Fulmine, Sereno

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One Sentence Summaries: Rufus' Ring Champion Recruitment Drive does not go as Planned. 
> 
> Reno demonstrates What Not to Do when learning Flames. 
> 
> (plz RENO pls NO NOT A SEX TOY)
> 
> Change of G's Class Schedule, and the Turks overcrowd Rufus' office.
> 
> A quiet lull of domesticity before Mist falls.

**[ μ ] - εγλ 1998 July 17th, Friday 2:00 PM - 66th Floor, Vice President's Office**

There was a knock on Rufus' office door.

"Come in," he says without looking up from the current Project proposal - this particular employee had the habit of being brain-numbingly dry. If his visitor had the right to be there, their keycard would let them in. And if it was Reno and Rude, they'll hopefully relieve some of his boredom.

"Hey, lil' boss." Reno struts in, looking his usual disheveled sixteen year old self. He hadn't quite yet developed the swagger Rufus was used to, more posturing than comfortable confidence. "Boss man told us to come feed you."

Rude sets a lunch tray carefully down at Rufus' desk after clearing a space of paperwork. It held three kinds of sandwiches: Tuna salad, egg salad, and a fancy provolone and chocobo with mixed spinach greens. There's also a pot of tea - chamomile, with lemon wedges and honey. 

"Of course he did." Rufus eyes the tray. Tseng was such a damned mother hen. But he takes a plate off the tray and plucks half a chocobo sandwich for himself. "You two might as well eat, because I'm certainly not finishing this all by myself."

"That's what I said, but hey, free food, yo." Reno took a tuna, Rude an egg salad to go with their takeaway coffees. He waits until Rufus takes a bite. "So, is Tseng as frigid as he looks or is he a beast in the sack, Lil' boss? I got Gil riding on this and on if Tseng's taking it up the ass from you."

Hidden by his shades, Rude's eyes turned to Rufus' jacket pocket before returning to his sandwich. Tseng had given him the Cure materia and knee brace - along with orders to use his judgement when to apply them - because Reno couldn't be trusted not to cop feels on the Vice President. The incline of his head was barely perceptible.

"Huh? What's so interesting about Lil' boss' pocket, Rude?" Reno followed the gaze. "Now I wanna know too."

The distraction was perfect, because Rufus had no interest in discussing his sex life with Reno. Instead, he pulls the Ring box out. Rude had some sense for it, and Rufus wants to see if he really is _Sereno_.

"Bring the chair around and have a seat, Rude." Rufus says, gesturing at the space besides himself. "... you may also want to take off anything you're not interested in losing."

"Oh wow, Lil' Boss - I know Rude's hot, but he doesn't swing that way." Reno wasn't about to stop a free show. "I should know, I've tried, yo."

"... Sir?" Rude set down his sandwich and took off his shades, looking confused. But he obeyed Rufus' instructions, undressing.

"Careful, Reno, you might be next." Rufus was disinterested as Rude undressed - once the nude Turk was seated, Rufus pushes the box of Rings towards him. "Any one of these Rings call to you?"

"Permission to put it on, Sir?" Rude nods. There were only three rings, two hexagon cut Jewels, one yellow and one purple. The third was a an uninteresting, matte black metal shield crest. The Yellow Jewelled Ring _tugged_, the feeling stronger than before Rude had seen the Ring.

Before Rufus could stop him, Reno reaches over and takes the _Fulmine_ Ring Giacomo said they'd never found anyone strong enough in Affinity for.

"Snazzy, Lil' Boss - with an electric bolt to match my trusty stick, too." Reno puts it on his left forefinger - and moans loudly, light green Flames lighting up and radiating outwards from the Ring. The Flames race up Reno's arm, _crackling_ like lightning and spun out buzzing threads of the same glowing green. "Ooooooh fuuuuuck, headrush."

"Reno, don't-! Shit, Rude, touch _nothing._" Rufus commands sharply, rushing out of his chair to get to Reno. Ignoring his knee's protest, he works on pushing his energy towards Reno after wrapping one hand about the redhead's wrist. "Don't fight me, Reno. Let my energy wash over you."

"Didn't know you cared, Lil' boss." Reno's pupils were dilated and he looked like he was high out of his mind, with a stupid wide grin at Rufus. "Has anyone told you what gorgeous blue eyes you have, yo? Gimme a kiss?"

Reno's electric green Flames didn't resist Rufus' _Cielo_ \- it _sparked_ against Rufus' skin, like a purring cat rubbing affectionately. Loud as thunder, the black matte of the _Fulmine_ Ring's metal **cracked** along with its lightning-like Flame - and burst, transforming into a hexagon cut Green Jewelled Ring like its UnSealed fellows.

"Sir?" Rude said uncertainly, but refrained from taking the Yellow Jewelled Ring he'd been about to don.

"Don't. Touch. Anything." Rufus reiterates to Rude while he tries to keep Reno's hands from doing inappropriate things. "Reno, I need you to pull your electricity back into yourself. Just like turning off your mag-rod. Lower the voltage. Pull it all back in."

Rufus can't help but wonder, though - damn his eighteen years old, hormone-addled body - what that power would feel like during sex, dancing over sensitized skin with teasing jolts.

"Come on, Lil' boss." Reno whined, one hand on Rufus' chest doing naughty things to his nipples, green Flames prickling like a cat's kneading paws. The other hand was shamelessly unbuckling his belt. "Don't be so stingy, yo. I'll show you my cock and you can show me your -"

Rude stepped over and covered Reno's mouth before he could finish that sentence.

_Thank the Goddess for Rude._ Rufus tugs Reno's hand away from his chest, and curses his body for being so sensitive - he was sure a lot of that was Reno's fault. He _wasn't_ the eighteen year old twink who'd fuck sixteen year old Reno whenever either of them felt like it any more.

"Focus, Reno." Rufus hisses in frustration. "Turn the energy DOWN. I'm not going to have sex with you right now."

"Mmmmhmmmmm mmmmmm!" Reno bit Rude's hand and leered at Rufus in the temporary freedom of speech. Deliberately, he ground his ass onto Rude's naked groin, making the larger Turk grunt at the electric stimulation. "Promise we have sex later? Orgy?"

Rude sighs and raises his fist to clock Reno out cold. Just like Giacomo described, the green Flames also sizzled out - but would start again once the User woke. The innocent looking pale Green Jewel gleamed like mako in that promise.

"What on Gaia was _that_ all about, sir?" If Tseng's suit had looked it had been run through a paper shredder after igniting _Pioggia_, Reno's suit looked like it had been chewed up by a pack of guardhounds and then mangled in a tug of war.

"That idiot. Thank you, Rude," Rufus sighs, letting orange _Cielo_ die out. "But this is only a temporary solution. The Ring awakens Flames dormant within, each Ring corresponding with a different Affinity. I'm not the best person to explain this, Giacomo is, but it _will_ flare up again when Reno wakes up, until he learns to control it. My Flames allows me to feed Reno energy so that he doesn't burn out on his own life-force."

"Ethers and potions? Not even elixirs?" Rude looked thoughtful. "Oh, ingestion capacity. And it won't stop until you learn to stop it, at will.

"_Legend_ made these?" A surprised pause. "I knew he was supposed to be a genius at weapon design and explosives, but damn. His first class is this afternoon. I won't miss his next one."

"Yes, elixirs are good temporary measures. And no, Giacomo made Ring Copies - not these originals. These are Ancient artefacts."

"So that's some kind of Ancient power? Why us, sir?" Rude knew Tseng had cast his lot in with Rufus, but he wasn't particularly distinguished as Turks go. Intimidating muscle like no one else, yes, but others were more talented at martial arts or explosives. He turns to look at the two remaining Rings in the box, yellow _Sereno_ and Purple _Nuvola_. "Tseng's one."

It wasn't a question.

"It's hereditary, at least the _potency_ is. The manifestation seems to be personality-based. I thought Reno would be _Tempesta_, like Giacomo - but _Giacomo_ has the _Tempesta_ Ring." Rufus glances down at the _Fulmine_ Ring on Reno's hand, gesturing at the mess of fabric falling apart. Maybe Reno wasn't actually related to Giacomo? "Tseng and I received our Rings at the same time. You'll receive one too, judging by your reaction to them. And _that_ was why I said to take off your clothes."

"It seemed to eliminate what little Reno had for self control - or inhibitions." Rude nods, but did not look comfortable at the thought. "And I still don't understand why us - surely you have other candidates, sir. I'm not particularly remarkable among Turks. There are more proficient specialists in both martial arts or explosives."

The yellow Jewelled Ring called out to him like an itch he can't scratch.

"That's a really long story for later. For now, I trust you. Don't let me down." Rufus replies. He nudges Reno with a foot, wincing as it pulled his knee. The redhead was out cold with no sign of waking up. "You really hit him hard."

"Understood." Taking it for an order, Rude puts on the Ring, and became enveloped in yellow Flames. The not-fire layers of yellow had a burning white core as its centre. Everything _sharpens brightly_, and Rude could smell the residual arousal on Reno and Rufus, the fragrance of coffee and chamomile, and the fishy odor of tuna salad. He feels _suffused_, as if he could run a marathon for weeks. Mindful of Rufus' earlier instructions to Reno, Rude tries to dampen down the brightness, taking an ether out to drink as his first attempt fails.

"The lot of you are going to give me grey hairs already." Rufus sighs at another reckless Turk putting on a ring without Rufus' express permission. He places a hand against Rude's chest to power him, since ethers won't work indefinitely.

"Sir, if it's this dangerous you shouldn't risk yourself until I'm unable to consume ethers - or other potions." Rude said levelly, but did not push Rufus away. He'd thought the strange yellow Flames were warm, but Rufus' orange fires felt - nostalgic, the sort of homesick welcoming you don't realize until you scent the air or take a bite of food that transports you instantly back. "You're the more valuable personnel. I'm replaceable, you're not."

".... Ugggh, someone get the number of that truck?" Reno said groggily, sitting up.

"My Flames are _different_ from yours," The Vice President announced to Rude simply, before returning his attention to Reno again.

"Wonderful timing as always, Reno." Rufus fished in his pocket for the backup Fire Materia, and pulls the energy. No time like life-and-death situations to practice something like _feeding_ two new Ring Champions at once, splitting _Cielo_ power into multiple streams. Rude's connection to him was stable, so Rufus focused instead on sending his energy toward Reno, ignoring the steady drain behind him. 

"Wait, sir." Rude felt something skip, like the track in a record or sunspots in your eyes. His _Sereno_ Flames joined Rufus' _Cielo_, flowing down Rufus' arm to circle the wrist before reaching down to Rufus' leg, a sun-basked warmth blossoming where the knee ached and smarted.

"Aren't you a sight for sore eyes, yo." From the floor, Reno leered up at the perfect view he had of Rude's dong, deciding not to move. "Miss me, lil' Boss?"

Rufus' feels the soothing energy wind about his wrist before slipping down to his knee, providing support and _mending_. He tests with some caution, and already he felt steadier on his feet. Rude was a natural. 

"Excellent, Rude." Of course _his_ Turks wouldn't fail Rufus' expectations. "You're already using one of the traits of your power. Keep up the good work."

Rufus' good mood lasted for all of five minutes - when he remembered the drunk and flirty wreck-in-everything-but-the-Job sixteen year old Reno on the floor. He looked down at the half-naked and leering redhead, and sighs.

"It feels … natural, sir." Rude settled at Rufus' praise, finishing his work and smoothing that out-of-tune disharmony from Rufus' body. With that settled feeling of accomplishment, Rude found the handle to close the door on the _Sereno_ Flame. "I can see why Reno lost himself in this."

Since Reno was still staring lewdly between his legs in a horndog expression, Rude used the slackness to grab the open jaw and force down the half-bottle of ether he hadn't finished.

"Oy! WTF RUDE, YO! What was that all about?" Outlined by Flames buzzing green, Reno sputtered as the ether went down his windpipe partway, complaining snarl at Rude's back. The other Turk ignored him in favour of dressing himself.

"Focus, Reno!" Rufus let his connection to Rude drop, and crouched down next to the redhead to get his attention. "You're burning through your _mana_. You need to learn to control it so you don't _die_."

Maybe that would finally catch his attention. Not that Rufus is going to let him die, but still.

"Huh?" Reno blinks at Rufus stupidly then _finally_ notices the tendrils of green not-fire crackling about his person. Experimentally, he gathers in his hands and rolls with it, watching the Flames condense and swirl. "Oooooh, cool shit! What _is_ it? Hey, lil' Boss - watch this neat-o trick!"

Shaping the green lightning not-fire of _Fulmine_ into a long phallic shape, Reno swung - and cleaved Rufus' desk diagonally in half along with about a quarter of the stacked paperwork.

"... Wait, why'm I _naked_?!"

Rufus stares at the remnants of his desk, his jaw working back and forth as he struggled not to slap Reno unconscious again. His headache is only getting worse. Alright, he needs to get Reno's attention in a manner the sixteen year old _understood_. Now that Rufus thought about it, the two of them were _still_ in that 'Good Times, Fuck You Later Whenever Just Call Me Up' stage of their relationship - which he'd deliberately ignored, hoping it would fizzle out like it did originally. It was also a stage of life Rufus Shinra had tried very hard to forget, when he slept with anything pretty and willing enough to fuck in multiple configurations.

"Reno, you want me to kiss you, don't you?" He puts a hint of sultry seduction into his voice. "If you can make those green flames of yours _go away_, you'll have earned one."

"Awesome sauce!" Reno crowed, laughing and obviously still as high as a fucking dorky in the rafters. Rufus and Rude both had to duck as he tossed the sharp stick of _Fulmine_ aside. He croons to the green dancing electric not-fire, looking utterly ridiculous in his ripped suit and bared arse, but it was _working_. "C'mere Kitty-kitty, c'mon to Reno-daaaaddy~"

"Would you like me to hit him again, sir?" Rude asked, having had his sandwich dashed to the ground in that last swing. He cracks his knuckles. "Since I know how to heal now, I shouldn't need to hold back. Much."

"Fuck you, Rude, _you were the fucking truck?!_"

"He'll get better once he has his Flames under control." Rufus tells Rude, hoping he was right. "Reno, _all_ the way gone. You get _nothing_ until it's completely gone and you're sane again."

"Awwwwwwwww." The last bit of green winked out. Reno blinks at Rufus. "..... If I'm fired now, can I get that kiss first before the exit interview?"

Rufus takes a moment to examine Reno. Low on mana, but not drained. Good. Stopping the flow of _Cielo_, Rufus leans forward and wraps his hand around the back of Reno's neck to pull him in for a kiss. He did promise.

Turning away, Rude puts his shades back on and begins to try saving what was left of the lunch tray and the paperwork. At least a quarter of the paperwork needed to be re-examined- although some might salvageable with patience and tape. The rest was soaked in lemon-scented chamomile tea.

At the kiss, Reno couldn't believe his luck and sucked face with Rufus like his life depended on it.

OK. That was more than Rufus bargained for, and the moment he feels Reno's _tongue_ push into his mouth, the Vice President shoves him away. Of course, that's also the same instant his office door opens.

"You finished reporting quickly." Rufus says calmly to Tseng from the floor, as if he hadn't been just caught kissing Reno in a teenager-like snog pile.

"Veld was easily convinced," Tseng acted as if there was nothing out of the ordinary about an almost naked Reno between Rufus' legs. "With both physical demonstration and the video of the Commissioner's _Nuvola_ display. Legend was demonstrating a prototype Flame recording device that detects and registers Flame signatures - when the readings _spiked_, with a Flame pattern that DIDN'T fit any of the six known Flame types."

"Thought it was Riccardo." G said, entering with Veld and practically _every_ Turk not on duty. Rufus' office was getting a bit crowded. "I hacked the security cameras to the origin point. Figured it would be a good time to hold my first Flame Introductions class early, on _what not to do_ when you're igniting first Flames."

"You'll be taking the cost of my new desk and office renovations out of Reno's paycheque." Rufus tells Veld, standing up and smoothing the front of his jacket. Well, it saves him breath from repeating himself to all of the Turks. Hopefully, subsequent testing and learning of Flames would be less disastrous after Reno's abject example. He does wonder how many of them would turn out to be Flame Users, and what ranks of Giacomo's Ring Copies they would fall under.

"That means someone brought me an extra suit, right?" Reno was _not_ garnering any sympathy, mostly snickers. "Come on! _Someone_ had to have brought one, right? RIGHT?"

"Reno, that's what you get for _not listening_." Rufus says, also completely without sympathy for the naked redhead's plight. Reno took a Ring without permission, then proceeded to _molest_ Rufus Shinra. Making an unpleasant face, Rufus crinkles his nose and licks at his lip, still tasting the tuna. "And brush your teeth."

Rude was edged back to the wall, uncomfortable at the way female co-workers' gazes lingered on certain parts of his anatomy. And it _wasn't_ just the women who paid him that much attention.

"We actually have three positives already, Kiddo." G says cheerfully, not at all put out. "I brought _some_ Ring Copies, but I didn't bring that many - just what I thought would be the most common types. Juget tested out B-rank _Sereno_. Maur might've been just under the threshold for ignition - I'll need to dig out what lower rank Copies I have and run more tests. Both Freya and Ruluf are _Tempesta_ like yours truly, B and C ranks respectively. 

"My old data were fucking _skewed_ toward Ring Champion - S-rank strength. I'm going to have to scrap a lot of previous assumptions about Flame potency and Affinity Types. The lower rank Ring Copies take much less effort to ignite - originals must have had a higher ignition threshold than I estimated - everyone who can _feel_ the original _Cielo_ Rings are at least ten times stronger than the B or C-rank averages I'm getting now."

"Do any of you feel anything? We've only got the _Nuvola_ left unclaimed from the original Rings." Looking at Giacomo & the other Turks, Rufus gestures at the open box and the final Purple Jewelled Ring inside. "Whatever minor usages you can get from the Ring Copies will have to be enough. It'll give an edge as a surprise trump in combat, if nothing else."

"While I can't say I'm happy you'd kept this from the Turks, I'm glad we have it now." Veld says pragmatically. Scanning the room, he was disappointed to see shaking heads instead of raised hands. "Just as well I don't have any Affinity - this old dog is hard put to learn new tricks in his old age. I'll just leave it to you youngsters."

"It was the Commissioner's decision to not give you clearance." Vincent stared coldly at his old partner. Flames weren't in his future, either, not when he only had **one setting of Maximum Flamethrower** \- and could only turn it on or off.

"Suck it, Vinnie, it's not as if you needed to use Flames anyway, with your enhancements." G had been annoyed when _Vincent_ had tested out S-rank _Tempesta_ like himself. He wasn't about to give up HIS _Tempesta_ Ring. "Whatever that shithead Hojo did to you, it messed up your Flames so badly that you shattered _every_ kind of Ring I had regardless of rank or Affinity type _just by touching_ \- except for S-rank _Tempesta_.

"It's not a feasible test now that everyone knows." G took up the Ring box with the remaining _Nuvola_ Ring, then spent a little time with both Rude and Reno to Seal both _Sereno_ and _Fulmine_ into the matte black shield crest rings. "I'm going to need to borrow Reno for the foreseeable future."

"What?! Why?"

"I _need_ a Flame User in the corresponding Affinity to tune Copies. You're all we've got for _Fulmine_, plus I need to run tests on the new Flame." G says easily. "If I thought you'd acutally listen, I'd've asked Kiddo to come help me get data on what _Cielo_ and _Fulmine_ can do together when you're not trying to use it like a sex toy."

"HEY! That's not fair!" Reno protested. "I was high out of my mind! And would someone get me something to wear? My balls are cold, yo."

"I'll definitely pass on _Fulmine_ experiments for now." Rufus says, holding up a hand. He's not interested in getting groped more, thank you. "Reno, no one _else_ has acted like a sex crazed fiend while igniting their Flames for the first time. It's just _you_."

The Vice President stares at the remains of his desk, and wonders how in Hel he's supposed to get any work done today. Reno's always been a headache, but today has been exceptional, even for Reno.

"Do you all still need to be in my office?"

"We actually came up to help with cleanup." Twin Guns said. "Why don't you have Tseng take you to lunch, Sir? We'll get this place straightened out for you."

"Attention. In light of this recent development - NO MORE SOLO ASSIGNMENTS." Veld clapped his hands, announcing firmly. "Gun, I know you've been nothing but professional on your long term assignment, but you're now _off_ Presidential detail until Windy gets here. Brief her upon arrival - and then you _both_ tag team after her placement. We need to figure out a balance between risk and reward - and I want all of you to test for Flames if you haven't yet, and to train for Flames if you tested out positive.

"Book individual appointments with Legend if you have to. It's better to have a gun loaded to fire that never does, than no gun at all. Legend - _the two-Turk team rule goes for you too_. You're with Vince - Deadeye."

"Wait just a -"

"This is not negotiable, G!" Veld roared back at the other Turk, every inch the Director of Administrative Research in charge. "You're the ONLY one we have who can _make_ Ring Copies and Weapon Foci, the only one with the _experience and knowledge_ to teach Flames. You're **not expendable** until we have backup! Contingency plans! You were taught by the Commissioner too, for FUCK'S SAKE - stop being selfish and get your head out of your arse!"

"Just do it, Giacomo." Rufus looked amused as he turns and pats Rude on the shoulder once, in thanks. His leg feels considerably better than it did earlier, and his knee barely twinged. "Valentine isn't bad once you get over the monologuing."

"You're not being very sympathetic, Kiddo." Giacomo grumbles, but agrees. "I hate it, but you're both right. Vinnie, guess you get to come stay with me and learn about making Flame Shit - provided you don't blow them up just by touching like you did the Ring Copies."

Rufus _was_ going to have the lunch break Twin Guns suggested, because he got all of ONE bite of his sandwich before Reno did his Dumb Shit, as usual. And Rufus had zero interest in trying to clean up Reno's mess when his Turks were doing it for him.

"Maybe someone get Reno a towel, at the very least," He says to the milling Turks as he signaled Tseng to attend. "Wouldn't want him thinking nudity is acceptable work attire."

"Finally!" Reno got dressed after being extorted a number of mission shift switch-bribes for each article of clothing. Rude's mood looked blacker and blacker with each subsequent trade.

"Director, Sir -" Tseng looked to Veld. "Don't forget about yourself. We can't afford to be without your leadership, especially not when I must be in Wutai within the next month. The dressing down is much appreciated - I'd been thinking about how to approach this with Legend but lacked the opportunity."

"Don't you worry about me. I'm not doing fieldwork, and I'll always be with at least one other full Turk, or teaching a class of Trainees." Veld's voice was gruff. "What does the Wutai Extraction team look like at the moment?"

"Myself - I'll need to get in touch with my Clan's cadet branches. They would be the only ones to recognize me despite being both Nameless and Clanless, and understand the reason for _remaining_ so." Tseng nods to his mentor. "The Vice President is also not negotiable, in order to make contact with both Giotto Shinra and the Commissioner's Wutai allies - that's why the proposal for the identity switch between the VP and Nunchuk. I'm hoping to put together a full six Turk extraction team, but apart from Deadeye, we _don't_ have anyone capable of going up to SOLDIER level opponents - which is what we'd be facing against in Wutai. AVALANCHE is making a mindless _SOLDIER variant_ that can be controlled and given orders remotely, called Ravens. While their … lack of flexibility in strategy has the odds in our favour, we still need enough firepower to take them out.

"And Legend is _necessary_. I suspect the reason Director Deusericus hasn't gained Wutai support is because there was no one to vouch for him to Giotto Shinra and the Commissioner's contacts. I'd also like to take Rude with us, as the _Sereno_ combat medic, now that we have Juget test out as a backup. Not sure who for the last spot, but likely a communication specialist to stay in touch with Midgar on a secure line."

"Legend can't go." Veld shook his head, ignoring the protest from G. "Continuity, Tseng. He needs to leave at least ONE of every Flame type behind for Ring Copies. If possible, along with a corresponding Flame User for each TYPE. Plus at least ONE Flame User like yourself - with the perception to _identify_ potentials. And not until he's left the blueprints for all of his work - Ring Copies, Weapon Foci, ANY other Flame gear - _and_ leave it with someone who can _build_ from reading them, at the very minimum. 

"Let me pull some strings first. When I had to retire the Commissioner's Old Guard, I retired the non-combatant support personnel _in Shinra itself_ whenever possible. Based on their skillsets, the technicians, analysts and _administrative staff_ are hidden away in various Departments. 

"We have the Old Guard in Urban Planning, Space, the Materia sub-department to Science, Accounting and Payroll, Human Resources, Public Safety - even SOLDIER. Some _full Turks and Trainees_ I tucked into Shinra Military School - the President paid the most attention to the Senior Officers, so I was able to squirrel them. Apart from Deadeye and Legend, I'm the _last living_ Senior Turk Officer from the Commissioner's day. Scarlet doesn't like rivals, so we lost most of the folks who were in Weapon Development after Legend got removed as Director, if they didn't transfer out. Science … there's a _few_ people there still, under Dr. Ivanov's direction and protection, but most of them have either transferred out, or have had exit interviews due to shared sense of ethics with the Commissioner. Majority of the competent techies that are left of the Old Guard are to be found in Materia, Urban or Space - rest are more administrative, logistics or analysts."

_This time, they're all MINE._ Rufus liked what he was hearing - this must have been _how_ Reeve had been able to put together WRO so quickly - _the backbone was his Uncle Allodo's Old Guard_. And how Tseng had made arrangements for Rufus' funding of WRO as the anonymous 25% voting stock holder, _and_ also been able to stay informed of every move WRO made. 

"Ugh, fine, Veld - I was going to do up a Flame Basics Training Outline, anyway." G threw up his hands in exasperation. "I'm telling you, once you get past the basics, there _isn't_ much I can teach other than stamina buildup drills and learning to recognize Flame exhaustion. That's why Two-Turk teams to watch out for your partner, since we've only got the one _Cielo_. A lot of the Flame Shit Allodo and Giotto BOTH pulled were brute force solutions, as is my most offensive Flame-based moves. At S-rank potency, so much of what we did was ONLY _adding_ Flames to our existing combat styles, and that's not going to fucking work for everyone. 

"It'll be up to you guys to discover what works best for you, especially since you lot _don't_ have as much Flames to begin with - given both the lower ignition threshold and Flame potencies. I can't see most of you using Flames more than as _auxiliary_ tactics or as a trump card to standard Turk training. Heck, only B-ranks can even manifest Flames externally without a Ring Copy to boost."

Which was why none of the other Turks who tested positive for Flames had _wardrobe_ problems - the Flame spillover only affected higher ranked Flame Users.

"You two sort it out and report to me later." Rufus says, heading for the door. "Coming, Tseng?"

"Hey VP, you top Tseng, right?" A male Turk voice piped up behind Rufus, carefully neutral and source indistinguishable from the organizational lines in Rufus' office.

Coming to a dead halt at the intrusive question, Rufus slowly turns his head to _glare_ at the group of Turks. He doesn't know _which_ of them said it, but the black look on his face says very clearly that they'd better keep their further questions work-related, or there will be Consequences. He also memorizes the faces of all the male Turks in the room, eliminating Rude, Reno, Veld, Valentine and Giacomo because he _knew_ their voices.

_Twin Guns. Katana. Kakuto - Martial Arts. Rod. _

It was ONE of the four of them, Rufus just didn't know which one. He turns away to walk down the hall, after seeing all four working - or pretending to work - industriously at restoring his office. 

"I'll never eat tuna again." He mutters to himself.

============================

**[ μ ] - εγλ 1998 July 17th, Friday 3:40 PM - Shinra HQ Executive Elevator**

"Sir, isn't it a good thing that they consider you the _son-in-law_ and not the daughter-in-law?" Tseng was more amused than put out by his co-workers' assumptions.

"Don't encourage them," Rufus replies, stepping onto the elevator and using his key card again. "Next thing you know, they'll be asking if I'm going to make you wear a dress at the wedding."

"It can be always done Wutai style with myself in _Junihitoe_." Tseng deadpans. "Veld is practically a father to most of us, he can give me away."

"While I admit you'd look good in that, I'm not sure either of us is the marrying type." That brings a short chuckle out of Rufus.

"You brought it up first, sir." Tseng presses the buttons for the Executive Suites, Cafeteria and Garage levels. "Go back to your suite for room service, Cafeteria, or eat out?"

"I'm aware." Rufus considers the options and decides he'd like to take Tseng out for late lunch, cancelling Tseng's first two selections with his key card. "What do you have a hankering for?"

"Wutai, but since we'll have ample chance of that soon enough, I wouldn't mind something else."

"No, let's go for that." Rufus is willing to indulge his Turk. Besides, he _likes_ Wutai cuisine. "What's the best Wutai place you know?"

"I shut it down last month, I'm afraid, sir." Tseng looks at Rufus. "They were too authentic. If you don't mind Wutai-style home cooking, we can go to my place."

It figured. Other people eat out for nostalgia, his Turk also checks for subversives.

"Make me your specialty, Master Chef." Rufus says with the barest hint of a smile on his lips.

============================

**[ μ ] - εγλ 1998 July 17th, Friday 4:15 PM - Sector 5 Upper Plate, Tseng's Condo**

Tseng's condominium reminded Rufus of his Turk - all elegant, simplistic lines with each detail carefully placed with no extraneous distractions. After seating Rufus at the coffee table, the Turk puts the kettle on for tea.

Technically, it was the first time Rufus had been to Tseng's place - but it was familiar. Tseng's sense of aesthetics doesn't change much in a decade. Making himself comfortable on the couch, he watches as Tseng sets out shallow, small ceramic dishes before him, each containing a different appetizer: bean sprouts, glass noodle salad, vinegar pickled kelp, some sort of candied yams, at least two different kinds of pickled vegetables Rufus didn't recognize, that was not kimchi - although that was also represented. 

"So this is where you get the tactic from: Swarm me with food options and hope something catches my attention. I did wonder about the sandwiches."

"You seem to have become a pickier eater as you grow older." Tseng usually didn't serve himself banchan style, but he liked having the variety at hand. "I should be done with the main in about thirty minutes."

Chilled vinegar rice, warmed slightly. _Furikake_, salmon flakes, pickled carrots, cucumbers, daikon and toasted sesame for a tasty cold riceball main. Miso soup with tofu for more protein?

Rufus was a much better houseguest than he used to be. He samples everything - both because Tseng was the one doing the cooking, and to alleviate Tseng's worries about his appetite. The bean sprouts and glass noodles are more up his alley than the spicy kimchi, but the sweet-savory pickled vegetables aren't too bad. He manages to save some candied yams for Tseng when his Turk finally returns.

"Expertly crafted, as I'd imagined." He says when the main dishes are placed. The hot soup looks particularly inviting - after the cold appetizers, Rufus was craving something hot.

"I can only take the credit for the bean sprouts and glass noodles." Tseng says as he sits down to eat with Rufus. "There's a thriving exiles' market in Midgar, Below Plate. Housewives trade their own Heirloom Specialties, recipes passed down from mother to daughter for others' slice of home - the selection spans far more regions than one would find in a typical Wutai Citadel. The Moon Clan Massacres before the War displaced more _heimin_ who would rather live out their lives peaceably than be involved the _Daimyo_ Clans' power grabs. I didn't think you'd be in the mood for heavier proteins, and there's only back bacon left in my fridge. So tofu and fish it is."

Rufus appreciated that Tseng took note of his eating habits into consideration - he _knew_ he ate very differently from the eighteen year old of this time. If he hadn't decided to recruit Tseng early on, the changes in his routine and preferences would have given him away. Even though Tseng had only been assigned to him a week then, his Turk was _observant_ and always did his homework before such assignments. Bacon would have turned Rufus' appetite right off.

"A wise decision." Picking up one of the rice balls, Rufus carefully takes a bite. Tseng had clearly also paid attention to his avoidance to the strongly salty and fried foods he'd originally liked. It wasn't heavily seasoned, but still flavorful enough not to be bland, with the tart and sweet of the differently pickled vegetables. The balance of fish and vegetables to starch was just enough to be filling without bogging down Rufus' appetite. The miso soup, while salty - was even better in its heated warmth. He focuses on that and it's the one thing Rufus finishes entirely before becoming too full to eat.

"That was very good." Rufus decided he would look forward to Tseng managing his diet more often.

"I'm pleased it meets your approval." Tseng thought he should try other variations on the basic miso soup next time, based on Rufus' eating patterns. Depending on the type of stock used, they can taste very different - and Rufus likely didn't know there were three basic miso variations. He'd used red this time so that the bonito-based broth wouldn't overwhelm, then added tofu and kelp. White would likely be better next time, _kombu_ or another vegetable based stock with daikon instead of tofu. Rufus was _avoiding_ saltier and stronger _umami_ dishes in favor of less salty and more sweet ones.

"Do you think you can spare the time for a nap before going back to work?" If Tseng had his way, Rufus was not going back to that office until Monday.

"Will you nap, as well?" The Vice President flicks his gaze over to Tseng.

"Depends, are you helping with the dishes?" Tseng had stripped down to only shirt and dress pants, sleeves rolled up for cooking.

"If it means I get a personal bedwarmer." Rufus replies as he stands up, stacking dishes to carry into the kitchen.

"There's a dishwasher." Tseng chuckles at the sight. "And how much bedwarming is expected of me?"

"All of it." Rufus finds plastic wrap for the left overs, placing them into the fridge. Empties go into the dishwasher. He _does_ know how to load and use one.

"Do you want to borrow my sleepwear?"

"Please." Rufus replies absently. It doesn't take him long to finish setting up and turn the dishwasher on. Stepping into Tseng's bedroom, he strips himself out of his jacket and vest.

"Green or white?" Tseng held out two male _yukata_ for his choice.

"White." That's always Rufus' color of choice. Besides, the green bamboo pattern would look good on Tseng with his exotic coloring and dark hair. Stripped down to his boxers, Rufus takes the white yukata, folding it left over right after he slips it on. Then he smiles at Tseng. "Tie me up?"

"With pleasure." His Turk helps Rufus finish the obi's knot, then strips as well to the skin to dress in the green yukata, hair let down.

Crawling onto the bed, Rufus rolls onto his back and pets the spot beside invitingly. He knew Tseng's game - looks like he wasn't going back to the office until Monday, but he couldn't work too much anger over the manipulation. Not when it earned him this kind of stayover, and Tseng as a bedwarmer - he'd always run a little cold, never feeling comfortable in anything less than at least three layers on a regular day.

Accepting the invite to his own bed, Tseng stretches along Rufus, resting his chin against the younger man's shoulder, on leg drawn over to hook about the ankles. In turn, Rufus reaches an arm over, to curl his fingers in Tseng's hair, pressed against the Turk to steal body warmth before closing his eyes.

It doesn't take them long at all to fall asleep.

Outside the bedroom window, a large black Raven lands against the sill. Violet Flames flared about a beady eye, condensing to form into the symbol of a Spade ♠, winking darkness and night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> G's Flame detector prototype thingy went nuts over Reno's activation of the Fulmine Ring because it's the ONLY RING still under the ORIGINAL Ancient Seal, so the readings went coocoo.
> 
> …… apart from this, there's now actually a PLOT reason WHY the Bovino Familia is not in this 'Verse.
> 
> Reno was ALWAYS going to be stuck with _Fulmine_ because the BASIC usage describes his original game Boss AI - down to Pyramid. He's smart and perceptive but OMG so much of a Shit-Stirrer just because he CAN. 16!Reno who's a wreck at EVERYTHING but the Job is … getting a SECOND upgrade in about 2 chapters (Plot Reasons). It's still not enough to keep him off Rufus' Shitlist longer than 6 hours. That's gotta be some kind of record. I have no idea where the 'Lil' boss' thing comes from, because he STOPPED doing that in Rufus' original timeline. /Facepalm
> 
> G and Vincent Do Not Get Along. It's rivalry left over from their Turk Trainee days, when they both specialized as snipers. G saw Vincent as the emo!pansy who only got in because he caught Allodo's eye, and Vincent thought G was the gutter!slumbrat who only got in due to nepotism as Giotto's personal Turk detail. It also doesn't help that VINCENT has a higher degree in Weapons Engineering than G - he's a double Masters in Forensics & Weapons Engineering, Major Firearms & Minor Thermal Technology. G made Director of Weapons Development at age 21+ (an auxiliary Turk Department then) with only two Bachelors in Weapons Engineering and Materia Theory & Practical Applications. 
> 
> Rufus is totally the husband in the relationship with Tseng - who's ... more domestic. My Tseng doesn't really have hangups about being seen as the more feminine partner - getting underestimated is ALWAYS an angle he can use, and something he's used to because he has Ageless Asian syndrome. Tseng's reaped the benefits from being thought older from ages 14-20; and is just beginning to suffer the opposite of being thought YOUNGER than he actually is. It's also why he's got the whole strict disciplinarian attitude to keep Turks who think they're older and know better from mutiny. (He hasn't needed to change his Turk photo ID since he was _fifteen_ due to this, and this is a Real Life thing I also suffer from. It's BAD when _your own ethnicity CAN'T tell your age_ and tries to sell you life insurance when you're only fourteen. I still look pretty much the same apart from a few grey hairs. I expect Tseng to not show age until he's got wrinkles AND grey hairs in his 50s.)
> 
> The dude!Turk who asked was Katana, because I have headcanon of him being ZACK'S COUSIN. XD;
> 
> They actually DO need more Cielo Users (despite Tseng & Rufus' kneejerk reactions to rival-disposal), the problem is both in identification and in finding trustworthy ones who are STRONG enough. Uncle Giotto would have been ideal with his lack of ambition and overabundance in potency, but he's kinda dead. The other known candidates of Ring Champion strength from Rufus' old timeline are either not born yet - or TWO YEARS OLD.
> 
> (Tseng is VERY close to tearing his hair out later, upon discovering two TRUSTWORTHY HIGH RANK Cielo POTENTIALs that can't ignite Flames due to being SOLDIER or put through an equivalent process.)
> 
> Undecided on importing MOAR KHR Cielo Users - Uni is AERITH and for Plot Reasons she shouldn't be igniting Flames. Luce and Aria (who is Ifalna) are both dead. Checker-Face isn't Cielo, plus he's kind of a DICK. Dino Cavallone doesn't really contribute much, and Primo Cavallone is an OC (as in, we KNOW he existed, that the Cavallone Familia was allied with Vongola Familia SINCE FOUNDING and also had Cielo Don inheritance like Vongola, BUT Amano never bothered giving us a cameo or name). As for Byakuran - if he's in, it's NOT GOING TO BE his TYL!assholeAdultSelf - or the revised timeline's You'reUnderHouseArrestForLife!MinorityReportSentencingTeenager. And he is even more FUCKING BROKEN due to the whole "Mare Cielo Users gain knowledge of ALL PARALLEL Universe Selves upon Flame Ignition" Thing. (<s>It'll probably a slacker!KEEP ALL THE MARSHMALLOW FLAVORS IN PRODUCTION PLZ and I'll work for you forever Twink if</s> he does make it. Ghost!Byakuran. OTL)
> 
> Enma and Cozart _aren't_ Cielo, but the _equivalency_ in Terra Flames - their Affinity isn't Harmony.
> 
> **Bonus Reno Outtake**:  
"Hey Lil' boss? You wanna make some extra Gil? I'll give you half the cut if you confirm you nailed Tseng's ass the first time."  
"If I were to humor you on any such thing -" Rufus' tone indicated he was not. "I'd tell you that your gambling pool isn't remotely large enough for me to tell you anything about my supposed sex life."  
"K thanks, got it, Tseng topped first time." Reno took off at a run to collect.  
"The spread of misinformation is hardly befitting a Turk!" Rufus yelled after the retreating figure.


	8. D. Spade, Illusionist & Interrogation Specialist

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A future that Rufus Shinra once lived - and now never was.
> 
> An appointment made without knowledge or consent, by an ambiguous Ally most unexpected.

**[ ν ] - εγλ 0009 June 2nd, Monday 3:59 AM - Edge, Healen Lodge - Presidential Private Hospital Suite **

Rufus wakes. There's the familiar weight of a hand feeling his brow, soothing and stroking, comfort during the worst nights of Geostigma when the pain made it impossible to sleep. Tseng, of course. Bedside watch those nights, suffering his tantrums and helpless rage. His Turk waited on Rufus hand and foot after AVALANCHE's defeat of the Remnants of Sephiroth, as the President of neo Shinra's condition worsened. Very rarely, Tseng's watch was relieved by Elena or Rude for a few hours of self-care and sleep - as Reno made a poor bedside aide and better gofer.

He opens his eyes, knowing what he will find - the lavishly furnished and familiarly sterile room, thirty-three year old Tseng sitting next with quiet concern and roiling worry under that calm exterior.

"How are you feeling, Sir?"

"Tseng." Rufus sighs, feeling the familiar bone-deep ache drape heavily on his body. His voice wasn't as strong as it used to be, more soft murmur than the command he intended. Rufus doesn't answer the question - the answer hasn't changed, it's the same answer as always. Why bother? "I had a strange dream of a younger life."

"It seems to have been a restful dream, if strange." Careful neutrality in Tseng's voice, even though the Turk was familiar to the President. Unspoken, the nightmares that kept Rufus Shinra from rest, as surely as the pain did. 

Tseng was never his lover, and Rufus wouldn't ask it of him. Not like this, not when he had nothing to offer, no future and especially when his own body disgusted himself. Tseng had never shown such signs, which was why Rufus gave the Turk permission to change his bandages when he was no longer able to help himself. But nothing more. Rufus didn't want pity - and worse, if it was only out of _duty_ if Tseng obeyed. 

His Turk didn't look indecisive so much as _weighing_, the way Rufus recognized when Tseng was balancing the pros and cons of equally unpalatable choices before advising Rufus.

"Sir … what price would you place on a cure?"

"Why do you ask?" Rufus was tired. As a realist, he doesn't want false hope. If his team of physicians hasn't found anything to help him yet, they probably won't before he succumbs to Geostigma. Even with his own stubborness at hanging on, Rufus knew he was running out of time and strength.

"Because everything has a price, Rufus Shinra." There was an odd note in Tseng's voice, as his Turk took out a familiar hexagonal jewellery box of dark wood. "It only remains whether or not you choose to pay the price."

"What do you mean?" Rufus' brows furrow in confusion. He knows that box, the shape and the contents. Where did it come from? Wasn't it just a flight of fancy in his dream?

Instead of answering, Tseng takes Rufus' left hand, gently raised to his lips. The kiss he placed held both reverence of ritual and finality of decision. The impossibly gaudy _Cielo_ Ring, surrounded by its six rainbow chips of jewel. Tseng slips it onto Rufus' finger, pale blue _Pioggia_ Ring onto his own. Flames ignite, a repeat of Rufus' dream dance of blue _Pioggia_ to orange _Cielo_ \- only this time, it doesn't stop.

Tseng was _fueling_ Rufus' life with his own, and the President could feel the cool _Pioggia_ ISOLATE and chillingly EXCISE the Geostigma from his body - to pull it back into Tseng's.

"Rufus." Tseng sighs his name before pressing his forehead to Rufus' chest and was still, blue _Pioggia_ ebbing and dying out completely.

"Tseng, _no!_" Rufus tries to countermand his Turk, once he figured out what was happening. He doesn't have the strength until it was too late - Tseng's Flames had bolstered his. It was another nightmare, and if he forced himself hard enough, he might wake. 

"No, no, no. Why would you do that?" Stricken with frozen fear, Rufus pushes at the still body, willing it to move. "... Tseng?" 

"What price do you place on my life, Rufus Shinra?" Tseng's voice asked him, a ghostly echo in the room.

A yellow not-fire sprung up in a corner of the suite, casting shadows that outlines Rude briefly. Then it shifts to light green, Reno's shock of red hair visible through phantom Flames that crackled. Next was red _Tempesta_ and _Elena_.

"If the price were the three of them - would you make that trade?"

"No." Rufus looks up from Tseng's body, staring at his remaining three Turks. He shook his head. Tseng would be alive, but he would also have been furious with Rufus for making such a trade. And now that Rufus _knew_ guilt, he would have never forgiven himself. "Who are you? Tseng would never ask such a thing."

Something was _wrong_. Looking back down at the still form against him, Rufus strokes the dark silk of hair.

"Whatever you did, reverse it. I never asked for the Geostigma to be taken away."

"Not a cure for Geostigma, what if it was for _her_ life?" The room fades and so does Tseng's body, leaving Rufus alone in the dark. He had to stop himself from crying out when Tseng's body disappeared. The face that appears is _his mother's_, young and vibrant and smiling at a joke the blonde young man beside her made. Giotto Shinra.

"The life of your other kin?" 

Allodo Shinra, expressionless as he strode through a crowd that parted before him - only to be stopped and embraced by an older, smiling man with greying red hair. The elder Rufus Shinra.

"The death of your father?"

Riccardo Shinra, helplessly writhing like a pinned insect upon Masamune's blade. Flames burned futilely, purple Nuvola boosting yellow Sereno healing doomed to fail, orange Cielo sputtering out.

"Whoever you are, you don't know me." Clenching his jaw, Rufus steels himself against the visions. He refuses to negotiate - not when he doesn't understand the consequences or _who_ he was dealing with. "What do _you_ want? Why are you doing this?"

Something in his head is screaming. Nothing here was right, nothing here can be real. And yet … the visions all felt _true_.

"Just a man." What starts as Tseng's voice shifts into a stranger's, as ethereal as mist and seething with shadows of despair. "Just a man who wants his children safe and _free_. As for _why -"_

Ghostly hands behind him, lifting Rufus' hair as breath whispered besides his ear. 

_"Nu fu fu fu fu - let me have your body, Rufus Shinra."_

============================

**[ μ ] - εγλ 1998 July 17th, Friday - ???? Dreamscape **

_Spade._ Rufus' breath hitches in his throat, chills running down his spine. He KNEW who this was, now. Whirling around instinctively, he launches a right hook at the source of that voice. The man dissolves into violet, misty Flames as his fist makes contact.

"So rash, Rufus Shinra." Reforming, the man that stood before him had dark hair - strangely metallic blue in the sheen of its highlights, pulled into a short ponytail tie at the top. A face that could be called handsome if not for the spark of madness in deep violet-blue eyes. He was dressed in a long hooded olive trench coat, black tailored shirt, white tie and dress pants, knee-high lace up boots of black leather.

"Will you not Deal with me? Voice that the Planet Hears, Time Traveller and Challenger of a Future that may yet still _be_. I would _die_ with as little ripple in the Flux that is Destiny, as futilely as I _must_ have in your Past that Never Was - if it meant my darlings' freedom and safety. I have my price, Rufus Shinra. _Give me a foothold in your body_ \- and I will be your spy upon Riccardo Shinra, the hidden blade in the back at your bidding."

"What do you need my body for - that I couldn't do myself?" Rufus says, eyes narrowed at Spade. He remembers Giacomo's warning - that he should run if he ever saw Violet Flames. But where is he to run? This world isn't real. "We can come to a mutual accord, I'm sure, without resorting to _possession_. My father has your children?"

Honestly, that sounded just like his old man, to use _children as hostages_ to ensure good behavior.

"Yes. Giotto didn't save my Helena." Giacomo had also told Rufus that Flames couldn't _lie_. In this Dreamscape where reality was as fluid as water under Spade's _Nebbia_ \- the world darkened with impotent rage and grief. A gold aura lit up, suffusing the portrait of a delicate, long haired blonde woman with merry blue eyes, who was obviously with child. "But he saved _our_ unborn children."

The woman's body, broken and dead and bleeding, his uncle desperately feeding her body with _Cielo_ Flames as Riccardo Shinra looked on without expression.

"Eight months. Just ONE month earlier - or later - and their chances wouldn't have _needed_ medical intervention." Flashes of savage dark Violet Flames. Hojo and his human experimentation, specimen locked in sterile Shinra cells. There was even a brief glimpse of a silver-haired child: Sephiroth. "I knew I couldn't seek aid _there_. Allodo was the one who helped me."

Violet Flames, constructing a lie that flickered when Disbelieved. His Helena was alive, She Lived and _EVERYTHING_ was going to be fine.

"There was a safehouse in Costa del Sol. He helped me when my Flames faltered with Nuvola Propagation, his own Nebbia Construction support - even though he disapproved. We both knew it was my darlings' best chance - their ONLY chance. The Turks' medical personnel focus were on combat trauma and surgery, not for this. _Not for this_. 

"I crafted a lie, a construction so well made I lost myself in it." A hissing whisper that spoke of loss and anguish. "SIX YEARS. Despite the War, six stolen years with my beautiful Helena and my darlings."

Twin children that looked like miniature versions of Spade, a smaller, shy girl and larger boy that sassed back at his father. Strong in _Nebbia_, both budding Illusionists _playing_ and making constructs as Spade taught.

"Then he saw her. And took them away from me AFTER he broke the Illusion."

Helena's body, as fresh as the day it died. The cries of the girl, the screams of the boy.

"I CANNOT FIND THEM, Rufus Shinra." The fury of a man who had his world taken from him was in Spade's voice. "Riccardo Shinra ordered Shielding _made_ that blocks my link to my darlings, **by Blood and by Flame**. You can go where I cannot, and you are _kin_ to my darlings, through your shared blood with my Helena. If I can _use_ your body, it may be the last _edge_ needed to overcome the nul-Flame Shields that Riccardo stole - what G made at Allodo's asking."

Silently, Rufus listens to Spade's story. It's tragic, to be sure, and he cannot imagine the kind of damage it must have done to Spade's psyche. And a man with such powers could go to all kinds of unsavory lengths to regain what he lost.

"I _want_ to help you," Rufus stalls. "But what guarantee do I have that you won't use my body to sabotage my plans?"

_Or hurt MY people._

"G has told you of my abilities." Spade was relentless. "What he does not know is that my family has known of Flames and the Rings for generations. I do not know where the _Terra_ or _Mare_ Rings are, but I can stand as an instructor in _Nebbia_ \- or the basics of Flame, if need be. 

"There are limitations on my powers. I _cannot_ possess the unwilling. Unless you grant me entry freely, I cannot use your body as if it were mine. What I am able to do, casting a shadow onto those I mark - is likewise limited by their strength. My hosts _must_ have a small degree of talent in _Nebbia_ or in _Cielo_.

"If you have another candidate, I am willing to take him or her in trade, in your stead. And in return, I offer you my _physical location_. I cannot act on my own when riding another's body - unless I am but a mere observer."

Rufus thinks on what Spade says, assuming the man was telling the truth. Lazard could be offered, but Lazard wouldn't have the same clearance as Rufus does, even though he shares the same blood link to Helena di Vongola. However, there was another way to come to an agreement with Spade's volunteered information.

"Let me out of this Illusion. Turn your body in to my Turks for collateral, and I will allow you to use my body for twenty-four hours in exchange." Rufus isn't going into this without insurance. "Once you are back in your own body, you will tell me EVERYTHING you know about my father's powers - and also undergo Turk interrogation, answering any questions they may have. You will be released once we are satisfied. Do we have a deal?"

"Foolish boy. Did you think Riccardo wouldn't have _insurance_ of his own? I am unable to meet you in person." Soft laughter that grew in volume and hysteria at Rufus' demands. "It took much effort to transfer from host to host until I was able to close in upon you, slipping into the gap of your Dreaming. This is NOT my Illusion, at least not fully.

"I only drew upon your own past, your own nightmares and deepest fears, Rufus Shinra. I can give you the location of my prison, no more. Until your allies find and release my body, I may only speak to you like this, in Dreams."

"GIVE me your location, so that my Turks may retrieve you." Rufus fought the urge to roll his eyes. Even in his dreams, things aren't easy. "_Then_ we can work out a Deal."

The Vice President was certainly not going to entrust SPADE with his body unless there was collateral. Tseng would be furious if he didn't make sure of it. Actually, Tseng would probably still be furious that he was going to make such a Deal at all.

Spade's reply to Rufus was _literally_ the floor plan of the Science Department's _publicly known_ Specimen containment level with the highest security - Shinra HQ 68th Floor - just two floors directly under his father's office. One of the containment chambers was marked with a giant red X.

Then Rufus woke.

============================

**[ μ ] - εγλ 1998 July 17th, Friday 7:45 PM - Sector 5 Upper Plate, Tseng's Bedroom **

"Tseng!" Rufus had a moment of panic when he woke to an unfamiliar room. His breathing hitches, thinking it yet another Illusion. The other occupant beside him stirs, and Rufus' breathing calms in recognition.

"Nightmares, sir?" Tseng was a light sleeper, and roused to wakefulness quickly at Rufus' upright bolt. Sitting up to press against the body, warm hands massaged Rufus' back and sides.

A knock on the bedroom window glass interrupts any conversation that might have begun. A large black Raven rapped its beak, cawing again to catch their attention. Violet Flames flared, the black Spade symbol in its beady eye spinning before it flew away.

"We need to talk, Tseng." Well, if there was any doubt that Rufus' dream was only a dream, that put those doubts to rest.

"Spade." Tseng frowns, remembering Legend's oblique warning. "How did he …? Animals can use Flames? Or have their life force _made_ to manifest as Flames?"

"Leave Dark Nation alone." Rufus swings his legs over the bed. "But yes, Spade visited me in my dream. I know where he is now."

"With respect, sir - I can't think of a reason for that information to be freely given - except as a trap." Tseng reaches for his PHS. "We need to call Legend."

"He wants me to collect his body, so that we can make a Deal." Rufus summarizes for Tseng's benefit. "In exchange, he will take control of mine temporarily. My father has his children, and he wants to use my body to search for them. He also offered his services as my spy to sweeten the pot."

Tseng took a deep breath and counted to twenty. Then again, in Wutai.

"What makes you take him as a man of his word, _sir_? And that seems to me a most _unequal_ exchange."

"I don't." Rufus shakes his head. "He corroborated Giacomo's claim that his body is helpless while possessing another's." 

"Then how do we know it's his body? For all we know, it may be a mere _Nebbia_ construct." 

"If it is, I should be able to pull it apart." 

"Respectfully, sir, ONLY you or Legend would be able to test a construct that way, and NEITHER of you are expendable." Tseng then remembered the new Turks. "Or Shotgun and Twin Guns - but their _Tempesta_ might not be strong enough. Which makes it that more likely it's a trap. 

"I'm getting a second and a third opinions." Using the landline instead, Tseng makes it a conference call connected to his flat screen. "Legend did say Veld had Spade's file as a Turk outside consultant." 

"Please do." Rufus gets out of the bed entirely to take a leak. Spade's breath on the back of his neck still feels _real_ and he rubbed at the nape of his neck, frowning. Tseng was being unfair - it's not as if RUFUS wanted to let a man like that takeover his body for a day. Emptying his bladder, Rufus spent time splashing water on his face to banish the feeling of spiders on his skin. Then he returns to Tseng to participate on the conference call. 

Veld had picked up from his office, still working on the logistics of coordinating the Commissioner's Old Guard. He didn't have much to add - apparently Spade's consultation visits had also been above his Security Clearance, but he did email Tseng the file. 

Legend was more helpful, with Reno cursing in the background as he juggled some odd contraption with his newfound _Fulmine_ Flames. There was also the sound of explosions as well as Valentine's dismayed voice. 

"What's up, kiddos?" 

"Spade made contact with the Vice President." Tseng cut to the chase. "I wasn't privy to the conversation, but he made sure I saw his Vessel. A raven. Legend, can animals be _made_ into Flame carriers?" 

"Giacomo, you were right on the money about Spade wanting my body." Rufus tells the older Turk. "But not for the reason you thought. He says he can only possess _Cielo_ or _Nebbia_ Flame Users - the stronger, the better. I thought about offering him Lazard, but Lazard likely won't have the clearance Spade needs to find his children." 

On screen, Giacomo choked and looked like he wanted to hit something. Or bang his head against a wall. 

"That fucker Spade _spawned_?!" He said finally. "I could've sworn he'd never look at another woman other than Helena!"

"... why hasn't he possessed the President then?" Tseng looked at Rufus, surprised by the information. "If he did, he can solve his own problems. Why involve us at all?" 

The implication that it was a trap hung heavily on Tseng's mind - if Spade was working with the President ….

"He told me my father has his children AND his body hostage. I'm sure there are other safeguards in place." Rufus _had_ thought about that, but the Old Man must have some way to keep Spade out of his head. "Giacomo, his children _are_ Helena's - you told us yourself that she was pregnant when she died. Twins, boy and girl." 

"But … how?! I DIDN'T sense a thing!" Remembering Reno, Giacomo turned and kicked him out of the room. Protests were overridden with a meaningful look and _demonstrated_ Tempesta Disintegration on a particularly phallic looking piece of gear that Reno was gesturing with. 

"That … explains a lot." Giacomo had put his serious face on now, and was chain-smoking again. Rufus noticed the habit whenever the man was stressed. "Spade doesn't like Riccardo anymore than we do, so if Riccardo got on his bad side, he wouldn't be telling Riccardo jack shit - or he'll tell just enough of the truth to mislead things. It's the way he works. This is actually GOOD for us in the long run." 

"Spade _rebuilt_ Helena. Uncle Allodo knew." Rufus said grimly. "Except with the whole mess about _Nebbia_ believing their own Lies to make it Reality, Spade eventually FORGOT Helena was a construct. He forgot my father killed her, and took her out in public. You can imagine how things went after that. _Riccardo Shinra is definitely on his bad side_." 

"... FUUUUUUUUUCK." Giacomo looked like he wanted to tear his hair out. "HELENA was the _only_ one who grounded him, Giotto was peripheral only _because_ he's related to Helena. And because Giotto fucked him to help Spade figure out that yes, liking guys are ok and that Helena was the one he loves. 

"Don't look at me like that. HELENA was the one who asked Giotto to, when Spade discovered _he liked men too_ and that he'd been lusting after Giotto. It made my head fucking hurt when I found out. " 

"The point is that Spade gave me the location, supposedly, where he's imprisoned. We can't ignore it even if it might be a trap." Rufus was just going to pretend he didn't hear that about Spade and Uncle Giotto and Aunt Helena. "The difficulty is that it's on the 68th floor, one of the most secure Specimen containment chambers." 

"Nebbia can be _that_ powerful? Or was Spade the outlier?" Tseng decided to take back everything he'd ever said about Rufus being a nymphomaniac. He needed to look up the tabloids on Giotto Shinra's escapades in case there's any more surprises of this sort. 

"I'd like to think it's just Spade, but his whole family was FUCKED. Old Money, Costa Familia but FUCK they were SO creepy." Legend shook his head. "The whole lot of them were supposed to be great mumbo jumbo black magicians, or mediums or occultist big shots. Spade made VERY good money being the latter. 

"Spade's the last one left of the lot of them - because they had this tendency to commit suicide once past the age of 30. Or … quote 'died in mysterious ways', end quote. There were FUCKING BETTING POOLS in Costa underworld every time somebody in that family turned thirty. Stuff like death by spearing in the abdomen with a CHURCH steeple - when the guy was stuck to a wheelchair since he was seven. Spontaneous human combustion, with only ashes for remains and _clothing_ completely untouched. Drowning in two inches of bathwater in a locked room, with no medical history of seizures. If the whole FAMILY was _Nebbia_… that would be another reason for Riccardo to take the kids. 

"You leave the security cracking for 68th to me. I _wrote_ the system, so getting in isn't the problem. The problem is getting that fucker Spade _treated_ after we get him out, because I don't think Riccardo would have kept him in one piece, if Spade's been a guest for YEARS."

Rufus just loved dealing with people with mental problems - that have a whole FAMILY HISTORY of mental problems. He folds his arm over his chest, realizing in the process there's a large, hand-shaped bruise on his right wrist. Great. Before Tseng notices, Rufus tugs the sleeve of his yukata to cover it. 

"So figure it out, Giacomo," He demands, as he tries to remember more clues from the dream - anything that might help. "His children _are_ Nebbia Users - strong ones. Spade showed me what they looked like, playing with constructs as _five year olds_ with Spade teaching. He said that my father TOOK the anti-Nebbia defenses Allodo asked you to make, blocking his connection to his children. That's why he couldn't find them on his own. Spade also claims he can't possess the unwilling - it's why he even bothered to Deal with me in the first place, in order to gain my _permission_." 

"Why does this make so much sense for fucking Spade? He did used to ask his _clients_ in payment that way, but not all of them." Giacomo looked pained. "I'll ask Veld to send me techies in trade for having a medical team on standby, I guess. He's been _badgering_ me after you guys left, for me to put together a team like the one I had as Director of Weapons Development. But FUUUUCK it's frustrating not being able to siphon off the Department budget.

"Don't look at me like that, I got Shit DONE alongside my own pet projects - how the fuck did you think I wound up having so many Ring Copies and Weapon Foci to play around with? I made sure I STILL saved the Company Gil - not my fault fucking Riccardo keeps giving me vanity projects I could do in my sleep like his Small Dick Compensation at Junon." 

"You built the Sister Ray?!" 

"Just the prototype. It works on the same principle as _basic_ Flame Weapon Foci, except it uses mako and not Flames." 

Rufus crinkles his nose. He doesn't have fond memories of the Sister Ray. Its failure to eliminate WEAPON nearly resulted in Rufus' death and weeks of rehab. 

"Scarlet took all the credit, of course." Rufus says with a sigh. The woman must have erased Giacomo's name after she became Director. 

"You think? BITCH fucking stripped my design down citing _budget savings_!" Giacomo looked extremely sore at the memory. "Scarlet is SHIT at weapon design. I wanted to fire her when she got transferred to Weapons Development, but she was sucking your Old Man's dick. That thing only looks pretty now and _underperforms_ at a twentieth power of the first prototype! She took out all my mirroring _amplifier_ relays and energy efficiency processors BECAUSE she couldn't fucking figure out what they did!" 

"So … Scarlet is the reason why -" Rufus makes a noise of frustration. Tseng would understand. "She needs to go. After my father, of course." 

He hated her so much. Bitch shouldn't be hitting on an eighteen year old either. 

"Perhaps you should have Legend conduct a facilities upgrade after you're President, sir." Tseng really shouldn't be finding the situation amusing, but … "Legend, so you're saying that according to the _original_ design, the Sister Ray would have operated at least twenty times the power, was more mako-power efficient, and _could_ have reached the Northern Crater _without_ being moved to Midgar or powered by Huge Materia?" 

"Yes to all of the above, although you DO need to disassemble and reassemble the canon to _aim_ at the Crater. The power output with the mirroring amplifier relays was 2^5, so roughly thirty-two times. And what Huge Materia?" 

"Huge Materia is exactly what it sounds like: a massive piece of crystallized mako, found only in inoperative Mako reactors." Rufus rubs his temples. "That's off-topic. Let's get back to Spade first. If there's ANY way we can find his kids _without_ having him possess my body, that would be peachy." 

"If Spade's in the labs and they're _not_, I think I know where his twins might be." Giacomo's brow was furrowed in thought. "Sector 0. There's a ninth baby reactor directly under HQ, setup with a secret lab." 

"Check it out if you can, that does sound promising." Rufus agrees. With his father's permission, he knew Hojo had labs running different pet projects all over Midgar and the rest of the world, usually attached to a Mako reactor. For something like this, Riccardo Shinra would have kept them as close as possible. 

"Kiddo, you think you can talk to Spade again? Because from what you said, I think he's like me in that _he can get out anytime he wants_, if it wasn't for his and Helena's twins." 

"I don't know how to talk to him at will." Rufus shakes his head. "In order to invade my dreams, it sounded like he had to _hop_ from one person to another to get close enough." 

"And the last thing he hopped was a raven." Legend remembered Tseng's earlier question. "Tseng, I have no idea if it's a unique skill to Spade or it's something ALL Nebbia Users can do, to ride animals as Flame carriers. But yeah, it's something Spade can do - and he doesn't like doing it unless he had no other choice. Allodo would have had more details, but from what I overheard of Spade doing spywork for Allodo - he fucking _feels_ what his hosts do when they die. And animals just don't have enough life-force or whatever to sustain a long-term possession the way a human body can. So Spade usually set possessed animals to _Nebbia_ and worked as fast as he could before he burnt them up. 

"While Spade's a sick bastard, AFAIK all of his marked agents were either volunteers, or people who owed him - like his clients. It's not like he _overwrites_ them with that Genesis Copy shit Kiddo mentioned. I'm not sure if Spade can choose to, though - because Allodo DID have him _help_ with PTSD in failed Turk trainees by memory wiping the trauma.

"The people who understood, and were willing to work with Spade the most were Helena, Giotto, and Allodo - in that order. And in a weird way, Spade was probably the closest thing to a buddy Allodo had - don't ask me how that works. Spade TRUSTED Allodo - he was the one charged most often with keeping Spade's body safe during possession - but then, Allodo also put up with a LOT of shit from Spade since he gave good results."

G wasn't about to admit that was probably also why Allodo _tolerated_ him, too.

"You said he'd _rebuilt_ Helena - can Spade build himself a _healthy body_?" Tseng looks at Rufus, troubled. "That kind of power, sir - he reminds me of _Jenova_."

"Probably. I'm guessing if he managed to build a construct-person that worked stably for _six years_ until my father killed her again, he should be able to make body parts for himself, at least." Rufus suspected there was more Giacomo could tell, if the man _remembered_ specifics. Spade _had_ been entirely absent for thirteen years, after all, and wouldn't have been a priority with Giacomo's original fixation on taking his father out. "Is there any way to oust Spade after giving him permission? If he doesn't want to give me my body back, for example."

Rufus didn't want Spade to have continued access to his body - just the once would be dangerous enough. From what both Giacomo and Spade implied, giving permission was like a standing _invitation_ for Spade's presence.

"I wish I had better news for you, Kiddo." Giacomo shook his head. "Allodo might have - he had some way of contacting Spade any time he felt like. I'm not sure if it's because they're both _Nebbia_ users, if Spade's given Allodo access to his Nebbia Network so there's two way communication, or something else. Giotto told me about raising a Flame Wall inside his mind so that Spade would stop using it as a playground with Helena."

".... you mean …" Tseng looked disturbed by the implications.

"Fuck if I knew what they were doing in there. I did NOT want the details.

"Anyhow, you two love birds go take care of your business. I'll go bribe Veld for that medical team. Spade's twins would be thirteen this year, and that's a bad age for Hojo's human specimen. Fucker starts collecting genetic samples as soon as they hit puberty and _produce_." Legend signed off with a most cheerful note.

"I just can't seem to kill people quickly enough." Rufus laments, moving away from the screen to collect his suit and change back into it. "If it weren't for Turks and SOLDIER I'd burn the fucking tower to the ground and start fresh. Tseng, take me back to HQ - even if I can't get any work done, I want to go back to my suite in case Spade tries contact again."

"Sephiroth does give us some idea what to expect of Hojo's practices. I'll drive, of course." Tseng sighs as well, getting dressed. "Two teams then, for 68th and for Sector 0, sir?"

"Please, security might increase if we can't hit both locations at once." Rufus does up the buttons on his jacket, then looks at the Cielo Ring on his finger. "I'll let you build the Extraction teams - you know more about the current roster than I do. Elena's not even old enough to be a Turk yet, Reno and Rude aren't the Turks they will be. What I remember about Valentine is only from field reports, while I know Veld - I don't recall any of the others."

If Rufus went with Giacomo's suggestion of a decoy ring, his father would still realize he's a Flame User. Maybe even know him for being _Cielo_. He isn't ready for that, not yet. Tseng would follow Rufus' lead, and that would make them both targets.

"Both locations are enclosed spaces, so we'll be limited in in options. Depending on the amount of cover, martial artists may be better then gunmen. Four Turk teams. Legend can't be risked, Deadeye might become friendly fire. It'll have to be myself and Gun heading each team as Senior Officers - Gun should head the 68th floor team. Her former assignment gives her more chance of surviving presidential censure if the mission falls apart. I'm thinking an all female Turk Team for 68th - the President is a chauvinist and _far_ more likely to spare the women than the men.

"It won't matter for the Sector 0 team, due to location and Security Clearance. No Turk is going to be able to explain their presence, if found."

"I trust your judgement." Rufus fiddles with his cuffs until it aligns to his satisfaction. He doesn't want to think about the possibility of losing HIS Turks. Especially not Tseng. "You know, Tseng, you could take a break and assign another Turk as my personal detail."

Does Tseng ever get tired of being with him all day? They'd never spent this much time together when Rufus was eighteen, in that other past.

"I tried today and you almost missed lunch. No, I'll stay for my peace of mind." There wasn't anyone else Rufus trusted and available. Legend was too valuable to spare from his current assignment, Reno and Rude hadn't yet fully developed their partnership. Tseng didn't trust Rufus to actually ask for help from another Turk when necessary.

"Suit yourself." Rufus couldn't help smiling, feeling a small spark of happiness settle into his gut. It's nearly a foreign sensation, experienced rarely and only when Rufus was with Tseng. It's probably unhealthy to have only one person who even makes Rufus remotely _happy_, but life isn't dependent on happiness. So it doesn't bother Rufus too much - he'll just take what he can get. 

"I wonder how Nunchuck is managing with Dark Nation?"

"Probably spoiling her with Strife. He seems a dog person."

Life was strange. Rufus had been prepared to change plans on the fly, when he'd first _realized_ that he was given a new start as his eighteen year old self. This was turning to be a Hel lot more adjustment than he'd ever expected, possibly with Rufus ending up a Cielo Master heading a legion of magical Turks. Whatever world he's building, is it ever going to be remotely the same as the one he knew? It probably didn't matter, if Rufus can make this world more welcoming than the last. 

============================

**[ μ ] - εγλ 1998 July 18th, Saturday 8:30 AM - Shinra HQ, Vice President's Executive Suite **

Tseng had managed to talk Rufus out of going into office on a Saturday morning, but it seems like the training schedule for bringing Rufus up to Turk Rookie standards had changed yet again. From across the kitchen island, the Vice President made an exaggerated show of eating his breakfast, and raised his PHS to let Tseng know he'd also received the notification text. Instead of the more usual hand to hand and firearms Turk training, Rufus was going to be part of the Turks' intro to Flame Combat.

**'+7 Positives. Group Training Turk Arena 9 AM - G'**

"That's … more than I expected." Tseng blinked. The line wasn't secure enough for Legend to specify _whom_, but currently there _were_ only SIXTEEN active Turks, from Rookie to Director - not counting Trainees and prospective candidates. He added the tally together. 

_ Myself, Legend. Reno and Rude. Deadeye, though his Affinity is problematic. Shotgun and Twin Guns. Juget. Plus SEVEN more. That's ..._

"Fifteen out of sixteen?" Rufus was just as surprised. "This can't be normal. I'm telling Giacomo to start testing Trainees and candidates next, if this pattern for Turks being Flame Users holds true." 

**'Charlie tested out like Pinky. _Perfect_ Kiddo Mimic at C. - G'**

Tseng nearly snorts his tea. Well, that was one of the seven, and given Charlie's personality - so _Nebbia_ users were inclined to subterfuge? 

"Nunchuck, C-rank Nebbia? And Legend said only B-ranks can manifest Flames _without_ a Ring Copy …" The Turk considers the implications. Nunchuck must have felt _muted_ because of that weaker potency in Flame. "If that's the case, Rufus - I should be able to scan for lower ranked Flame Users." 

"I can't eat any more, Tseng." Rufus complained. "Not with this much excitement. Can we go downstairs already? From what Giacomo texted, Ring Champions - S-ranks like _us_ are rare, mostly C-rank and lower. I want to _know_ who's what." 

**'A, A, B, C, C, C/D, D - G'**

"... someone is _Dual Affinity._" Tseng's curiousity was also piqued. "Sir, finish your protein and we'll head on down." 

"Yes, _mother_."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spade paying attention to Rufus was Reno's fault. He was close enough to sense the _Fulmine_ Flare Up. As both G & Spade surmised, he didn't make it in the original timeline - neither did his kids.
> 
> And Spade … is actually NICER than KHR canon. MUCH NICER, even though his fixation is still Helena/Elena first. Manipulating Rufus' dreamscape is pretty TAME compared to the KHR canon mindrape and physical torture shit he's pulled to GAIN CONSENT. 
> 
> In KHR canon he's THIS batshit creepy-crazy with a lot LESS excuse for it. Both Mukuro and Chrome had more reason to turn out like him or worse - Mukuro did, but Chrome's still a sweetheart despite the Shit she's been through with even Shittier Excuse for Parental Unit. Their torments have been lessened and parcelled out to Spade, who is now a Creepy!Overprotective Daddy opposed to the Creepy!Stalker Dick he was to them in KHR canon. 
> 
> Nebbia Shit is Super CREEPY but Effective, like OMG you can't believe. Particularly High-Level Nebbia Users because they NEED to believe their own Lies to make it Reality. 
> 
> If this chapter seems depressing, I've had a death in the family last week. The funeral is end of this month. So I'm working on angsty bits to get it out of my system cathartically.  
  
**Bonus Choose your Own Adventure: Another Dilemma for Rufus!**  
In order to gain the stalker Daemon Spade's aid, will Rufus Shinra:  
A. Break Spade out of a Mako Pickling Jar on the 68th floor of Shinra HQ Science Dept. Specimen Containment?  
B. Take a gamble and infiltrate Sector 0, where Spade's twin children may be held prisoner at the secret 9th Reactor of Midgar?

**Author's Note:**

> OMFG Rufus are you getting a dose of Vongola Hyper Intuition? Because the way Plot is heading, you're just RACKING IT UP IN UNCLES THIS FIC. The current arc title was again, HIS IDEA.
> 
> Rufus' current Uncle count: **4**. 
> 
> List of Uncles: 
> 
> 1\. Allodo Shinra, President Shinra's older half-brother and Founder of the Turks.  
2\. Giotto Shinra, President Shinra's younger full-sibling. Used to be the Tabloids' Golden Shinra Playboy darling since he was _sixteen_ and continued until he turned thirty and Fell Hard for his Wutai Imperial Princess.  
3\. G, by adoption - while not bearing the Shinra name, Grandpa Shinra adopted and _documented_ him, also called Grandpa Shinra _'Uncle Rufus'_. "FUCK being Riccardo's brat, Giotto's nephew so _mine_."  
4\. Daemon Spade, by marriage to President Shinra & Giotto's maternal cousin Helena di Vongola (her Old Man was Grandma Shinra's brother).  
5\. ???
> 
> Outline is currently looking like a TWENTY PARTER AFTER I CUT OUT THE GRATITUOUS SMUT AS A SIDE ARC. Hopefully not much more.


End file.
